The Power Of The Nexus
by gooseles
Summary: Johana El is living a dream with her sister, Layla but life is complicated by a certain Englishmen. Love is hard when choices must be made. How do you choose between what you want and what you need? And can a certain Jinja Ninja help her make that choice?
1. They Made It

It was nine minutes until Monday Night RAW was scheduled to start. The energy in the Pepsi Center was on fire, electric and magnetized, sending a powerful and positive vibe throughout the entire arena. The fans were getting antsy, eagerly counting down the minutes and seconds until they could see their favorite Divas and Superstars live and in person. Walking out of the female locker room, Layla El peered around the corner looking for her tag team partner. She didn't have to look far. Standing by the Gorilla position was her best friend, tag team partner, co Divas Unified tag champion, and little sister, Johana El. Matching her in one of the sexy shimmering black and blue outfits that consisted of a halter, female trunks and of course the Flawless hoodie that they wore to the ring, was the woman two years her junior who was her favorite partner in crime.

Layla smiled as she saw her sister bouncing around. It was that nervous energy that always seemed to consume her right before any show started. Johana "don't call me Joanna" El was always a bundle of nerves the few minutes leading up to the time right before the sisters were due to walk down that ramp. The minute their music hit and the fans popped for the beautiful tag team champions, the butterflies simply fluttered away. It was then that they were truly home, in their element. The sisters had come a long way from their beginnings in London, England. After high school graduation, Layla had moved to the United States to pursue her dream of having a professional career in dance. It was her strongest natural talent, her surefire ticket to stardom and achieving a dream of wanting to entertain. Once Johana was 18, she had followed suit, moving to the States, not so much to chase a dream but to follow her best friend. Content to wait tables and eventually bartend, Johana had made her home wherever her sister was. Layla found early success dancing for Carnival Cruise Lines. When Layla caught her biggest break being chosen as a dancer for the Miami Heat, the pair had moved into a two bedroom apartment near South Beach. Two years later, she tried out for the WWE Diva search on the advice of her trainer. After winning the search in 2006, she had become a full time fixture in front of the WWE Universe.

Johana had never given wrestling much thought. In fact, she had never even seen a single episode of WWE programming unti she started watching to support her sister. The more she watched, the more she became enthralled. After traveling a few times with Layla, Johana had made up her mind. She wanted to be a professional wrestler, too. Layla, originally just a Diva and the proverbial eye candy, had begun training in order to compete in the Women's division. All their hard work paid off and in 2008, Johanna El debuted. During the next two years the sisters wrestled in singles competition before eventually tagging together when tag wrestling became a hot commodity in the Women's division. The sisters' success was met with tragedy when their beloved mother unexpectedly passed away in 2008 but the tragedy had only brought them closer. 2009 had been their year and they had dominated the rest of the Divas. Early 2010 had brought a career defining victory over Michelle McCool and Beth Phoenix and the pair had been on a roll ever since.

Layla folded her arms and laughed. Johana was now bouncing around to the beat of the music. Layla was pretty sure of what was on her iPod. The name of the song was an appropriately titled I Made It and it was performed by Cash Money Heroes. It had been the theme for that year's Wrestlemania. The lyrics of the chorus said, _I look up to the sky and now the world is mine, I've known it all my life, I made it, I made it, I used to dream about the life I'm living now, I know that there's no doubt, I made it, I made it. _It had been Johana's favorite song from the very first time she had ever heard it and much to the dismay of her friends and travel mates, it was one she played over and over again on repeat, sometimes for hours at a time. But it was more than words and a catchy beat. It was the story of the lives of two sisters living out a dream together.

"I've been looking all over for you," Layla tapped her shoulder. "I should have known I would find you here."

Johana stopped, looked up and smiled, removing her ear pieces.

"I got ready early and I just took a walk. You know how I get. We're kicking off RAW, there is no way I could just it around being still."

"Are you ready for tonight, Joey?"

Joey was the nickname Johana's friends and family called her by. She was known to the WWE Uiverse as Johana but none of the people in her day to day life called her that anymore except for Vince McMahon himself. Layla had called her Joey ever since they could both remember and Joey affectionately referred to her older sister as Sissy or Lay.

"Yeah. You? I'm super excited."

The sisters, babyfaces, had recently started a feud with heels Maryse Ouellette and Victoria Crawford, better known as Alicia Fox, two formidable opponents in their own right. A challenge for the coveted titles was surely around the corner at one of the upcoming pay per views. The fans were loving it. In turn that made the girls feel good. It was no secret that the rival promotion TNA had tougher, athletic, more professionally trained female wrestlers while the WWE was known for its gorgeous eye candy alone. The new generation of Divas had made a vow to change that perception. They were more than just pretty faces and they intended to prove it. The women worked hard, training in the gym and with their male counterparts in order to perfect their craft and be an even stronger attraction to the WWE Universe. With names like Michelle McCool, Melina, Natalya Neidhart and Gail Kim, they were well on their way.

"The fans are sure getting a kick out of it. Anyway, the spots we worked out earlier in practice kicked ass. I can't wait."

"You know what the boys say…the only thing better than starting the show is ending it. Sissy, I can't wait until we get to finally Main Event a Monday Night RAW. We're almost there, I can feel it."

Joey wrapped her arm around her and Layla couldn't help but smile. Her sister's enthusiasm and love for the sport and entertaining the fans was infectious, contagious even.

"Me too, Joey. Me too."

A PA walked past them.

"Two minutes until we go on, ladies. Layla, Joey, you're out first. Cut your promo and Maryse and Victoria will interrupt. Threats are made, cat fight is about to start and the anonymous GM will send an e-mail and make the match which begins after the commercial break. Everybody okay with that?"

The two sisters nodded, smiling and confident until Layla watched a look of nervousness and yearning wash across Joey's face. She followed the younger woman's gaze with her own and immediately she began to frown. She should have known. The heel faction known as the Nexus was scheduled to go on right after the women's match. The dastardly group was led by Wade Barrett or his given name, Stu Bennett. His eyes met Joey's and she quickly looked away as Layla just shook her head.

"What the hell…" Layla mumbled under her breath.

The lights lowered and Nickelback's Burn It ToThe Ground, the official RAW theme began to blare throughout the venue's speakers.

"Showtime…Layla, Joey, you're on…"

The PA handed them their belts and ushered them to the front. Joey looked straight ahead, purposely ignoring the hulking dark haired six foot five inch Englishman but Layla found herself just inches away from his chest that wore a black and yellow N tee shirt. She looked up just as he looked down, sickening her to her stomach with that trademark smirk that wasn't just reserved for the ring. The sisters' music hit and the fans jumped to their feet. They made their way onto the tip of the ramp and just stopped. Joey felt chills all over. She got that same feeling every single time she left the Gorilla, every time she heard their music, every time she watched the playback on television, every time she sat in an empty arena before a show and watch the sound guys test their Titantron. It was an amazing, indescribable feeling and nothing else in the world was quite like it. The sexy twosome sauntered down the aisle, slapping the hands of their adoring fans. Joey slid into the ring while Layla hopped up on the apron, sitting and bouncing on the second rope. The reception was positive and contined even as either girl stood at opposite corners, beaming with their championships in the air.

"You know, Lay," Joey began as she took a mic, "Being the undisputed Unified WWE Women's tag champions means that we are the best at what we do and though there is some stiff competition in the back, I don't think there is a duo of ladies back there who have what it takes to take these belts away from us."

Layla grinned before speaking into her microphone. Joey could barely concentrate enough to wait for her cues to speak. It was just so exciting. Even after two years, it never got old. They cut their promo perfectly and right on time came the interruption from Maryse and Alicia Fox. The tension and feud had been building for weeks and seemed to really go over with the fans. As the girls got in each other's faces, the message came from the anonymous GM read by Michael Cole. The tag match was made and would begin in minutes after the commercials aired to the live home audience. The women remained in the ring but it was hard for Joey to stay in character. She was obviously distratced.

She kept the smile and the confidence but inside, her heart told another story. She now had butterflies for a whole new reason. They came every time she saw him, every time he was within earshot, or every time she smelled the masculine sexiness of his cologne. She had just run into him and it had made her heart skip several beats. His spot was coming up soon but what was he doing in the meantime? Was he watching her from the Gorilla? Was he secretly cheering for her? It was too much for her at the moment so she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, concentrating on the task at hand.

The bell rang and it was match time. Joey and Maryse were out first, each sizing up the other girl before they locked up. Maryse went for an early classic clothesline which was thrwarted when Joey ducked and countered by grabbing the French Diva's middle. Maryse came back with a series of elbows, before being caught and flipped over by Joey with a nice arm drag takedown. Joey had pestered nearly every male Superstar in that lockeroom to teach her everything from basic mat skills to high flyng aerial moves. She had become a master of her talent, quick and smooth, controlled and cool as she dominated her opponent. Just as they had rehearsed, she had kept Maryse in her and Layla's corner, making the opportunity for a tag easy and convenient. For the next few moments, the match went back and forth, mostly sound technical wrestling and a few spectacular new spots but all four had agreed to save the best for the pay per view. In the end, Layla was able to score the pin via a quick roll up. The Pepsi Center erupted and the referee held up the victorious hands of the champions. Layla and Joey embraced and for a fleeting moment, all other thoughts were put on the back burner. For that moment, they were just two sisters, partners and friends living in the moment…and it was their had made it.


	2. Secret Lovers

Joey moaned out loud as a pair of swollen but soft lips crashed into hers. Craning her neck, she used her tongue to probe the inside of his mouth. His strokes, touches, and thrusts were bestowing immense pleasure throughout her body and she couldn't get enough of him. His love was like her drug and she was surely addicted. Like most addictions, the problem was that the person couldn't get enough of something that was surely bad for them. And Joey was no different. Stu Bennett should have come with a warning label. He was hazardous to her health and everything else but to her it didn't matter. Nothing mattered except being in his big strong arms.

"Baby," she whispered through slit eyes, her breathing labored and irregular.

They both originally hailed from England and aside from that, the pair had nothing else in common. They lived in two completely separate worlds. She was known for her loving and nice personality, a favorite among her colleagues backstage. He lived up to the reputation of being an arrogant jerk. His British accent lingered heavily while hers had all but disappeared. She was single and he was a married man. And oh yeah, they had been sleeping together since his first week of employment with the WWE.

The former bare knuckle fighter had moved to the U.S. to further pursue his dream of becoming a professional wrestler. The WWE had signed him to a developmental deal via their southeast territory, FCW and the rest had been history. He had quickly risen in the ranks as a commentator and wrestler. His mic skills were unmatched only by his technical wrestling prowess. He had showed promise from the get go and in turn had won the first season of NXT, the show that Vince McMahon had personally developed to discover the next breakout Superstar. He had been instantly throw into the Nexus storyline with his FCW/NXT counterparts as the ruthless and domineering leader of the most dominant and brutal heel faction the company had ever seen. He played the role well but causing havoc hadn't only been reserved for TV.

"Johana…"

She shuddered as he called her by her given name and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. He never found it in himself to call her Joey. In fact, he had scoffed at the nickame. He often told her that it was juvenile and unlady like and that it reminded him of a baby kangaroo. So he joined the select few that still called her by the birth name that she also used in the ring. As far as she was concerned, he could call her whatever he wanted. When they were together and even when they weren't, she was under the very spell that was Stu Bennett.

His first day on the WWE, there had been one of those huge townhall meetings as they were called. It was when all talent from both rosters as well as Creative and Corporate got together for a big staff meeting and discussion. From the moment the NXT season 1 guys had walked in, he had captured Joey's attention from the beginning. He was obviously cocky and all ego, even being so green in the business but that swagger was part of the attraction for her. He was regal and refined and the moment their eyes had met, sparks had flown immediately. They had struck up a converation after the formalities of the meeting ended and from that point on, there was no turning back. The sexual attraction and tension between the two was tangible and just a few days later, they had succumbed to their feelings in a hotel room in Georgia.

Joey had always considered herself a good girl, a nice person. She would have been voted least likely to become the other woman but that was exactly what had happened. From the moment Stu had entered the company, he had always worn his plain gold wedding band. It was no secret that when he had first moved to Florida, he had become instantly smitten with a photographer named Jackie Bolton. She was ambitious but soft spoken, not drop dead Diva gorgeous but more like the pretty girl next door. He called her Jacqueline and had proposed shortly after meeting. Prior to the beginning of NXT, the two had made it official in a simple and small ceremony. Months later, he was engaged in a full fledged and not so secret affair with one of the WWE's most beautiful and popular Divas.

The Internet dirt sheets and the backstage had run rampant with gossip. Something like that was so out of character for their beloved little Joey but she and her new lover had been quite bold with it from the beginning. Neither had tried to hide their feelings for each other which made it all the worse. Layla in particular had been especially horrified. In addition to being sisters, the two were also best friends. She knew Joey well and knew the person her sister became when Stu was around was not the real Joey. He was bad news, a bad guy and bad for their image. She had tried to warn Joey but the warnings had fallen on deaf ears and had driven a wedge between the girls for the first time in their lives. But a rift between sisters was just the start of the drama that had ensued.

With Linda McMahon's run for the United States Senate and the WWE trying to clean up their image and make themselves more PG and family oriented, the open affair between a married Superstar and a gorgeous Diva was simply too much. Both had been personally summoned to Stamford and reprimanded by Stephanie McMahon Levesque herself. The sexual relationship was to stop immediately and it was strongly "advised" that the two not speak at all. If they violated such recommendations, the consequences would be swift and severe. There was talk of suspensions and terminations and neither was ready to sacrifice their career just yet. So they had ended things abruptly, making a vow to stay away from each other and go back to the way life had been before they had met.

It was easier said than done. Joey knew it was wrong but if it was, why did loving Stu feel so damned right? She had never felt that way about a man before. He was more than a boyfriend or a lover, they were soul mates. Of course she felt sorry for Jackie. It was an unforunate situation but that marriage had never really had a chance to begin with. Stu hadn't really been in love with her and had realized shortly after taking vows that the union had been a mistake. It wasn't like Joey was a homewrecker or anything.

"I love you," she gasped as her body visibly tensed and her innermost parts clenched around his.

He let out a gutteral moan and released inside her before rolling over.

"You too," he regained a normal breathing pattern.

Joey stared at the ceiling, kicking away at the tangled mass of sheets with her bare foot.

"Why do you always do that?" she sighed. "Or rather don't do it?"

"What do you mean?" his voice was deep, his accent thick.

"You never tell me that you love me. You never say it first. I always do and you never say, 'I love you, too, Joey,', you just say, 'you too'. Why is that?"

She was pouting and they both knew it. He didn't like when she pouted.

"Must we go through this again? You're being a spoiled brat, Johana and I don't like it. I'm brassed off with your constant whining."

She rolled her eyes. Because she was from England too, he expected her to keep up with British slang even though Joey rarely visited her homeland.

"Well, I'm sorry you're pissed off but I am too," she sat up, holding the sheets to her bare breasts as she searched for her clothing that was strewn about the hotel room. "This is ridiuclous. You know, I'm not just some whore that you can bang when you want to get your rocks off while you're on the road."

She was upset and flustered but he kept his cool as he kept one arm tucked beneath his head. Stu watched as she hastily put on her all clothing before he beckoned her back.

"And where do you think you're going?" he inquired.

"Away from you."

He sat and gazed deeply into her eyes.

"And why would you want to do that?"

He was a predator and that was the way he secured his prey, with that hypnotic gaze.

"Stop it," Joey looked away.

He smirked and tilted her chin back to face him.

"Look into my eyes, love," he said softly. "You know how I feel about you. I'm crazy about you."

She bit her lip, looking at the ground.

"Stu…"

"Look at me, Johana," he commanded a little more forcefully.

She did and that's all it took. Instantly she melted as they kissed again and she sank back into his arms as he pulled her back to bed.

"I'm sorry, babe," she buried her face in his bare, hard chest. "I don't mean to spazz on you but this is all just so hard, you know? The sneaking around, you eventually going home to her…"

"Leave Jacqueline out of this."

"Why? She's your wife."

"In name only," he quickly retorted.

"Stu…"

"We don't have much time together, love, I don't know why you insist upon starting a quarrel."

Joey took a deep breath.

"Because I miss you so much when you're gone that I can barely stand it," she admitted in a soft voice. "I know I'm being stupid wasting precious time with fights. I don't mean to, it's just bad. I love you, Stu. I love you and I know how much you love me. It kills me that we can't express that love openly. It kills me that our work has the authority to demand that we both be miserable in our personal lives. And it kills me most of all that tomorrow when this road trip is over, you're on a plane back to Tampa and you're with her."

He pulled her close and placed a kiss on her temple.

"I may be with her but my heart is with you."

For Joey it was of little consolation.

"How long do we have to keep going on like this?" she asked out long.

"It won't be forever. You must be patient, Johana. I am making moves. It is impossible to make them all at once but I am doing what I can."

"What kind of moves?"

He grinned at her.

"The ones that will eventually help me be with the one I truly want."

Those words brought a wide smile to her lips that quickly faded as soon as she heard the vibration from her cell phone. Groaning, she looked at it, knowing who it was before her eyes glanced at the name.

"It's Lay," she sighed.

"Ah, the Wicked Witch of South Beach."

"Stu…"

"Just kidding, my love."

"No, you aren't."

"I have nothing against your sister despite her haughty, holier than thou attitude and the fact that she tries to control your life. She is the one who has a vendetta against me."

"You two are like oil and water, I swear," Joey shook her head. "It's not you, it's about me. She's just looking out for me. She has always been super protective of me. Anyway, I have to go. I need to get back. I gave her some lame excuse about working out so I need to get back and pray that nobody was actually in the gym."

"It wasn't a complete lie," he smirked, whispering into her ear. "I'd say you got your workout for today."

Joey blushed.

"And it was a great one, too. You are so bad and I love it. God, I hate leaving you, babe."

"Next time," he looked at her.

She exhaled sadly.

"Next time."

It was a bad situation. Their relationship was a secret to everyone around them. Her very livelihood was at stake and so was her reputation. She was someone's mistress and Stu didn't always treat her the best but she couldn't stop it, she couldn't pull away even if she wanted to. And looking into those amazing blue eyes, that was the last thing she wanted to do. It may have seemed crazy to the outside world but to them, it made all the sense in the world. For Joey, her secret lover was well worth it.


	3. Nexus Or Against Us

Layla and Joey giggled as they dragged their bags into the arena. They had just met an excited fan, an older gentleman that had been absolutely smitten and star struck with the two sisters. As always they had been gracious and polite, taking the time to chat with him as well as sign autographs and take pictures. Afterwards, they had made their way into the venue, side by side. In addition to tag team partners, the girls were best friends. When you saw one, the other usually wasn't far behind. They did everything together…shopping, training, partying…they even slept only feet apart when the company traveled by bus or plane. Their relationship was unique, sacred and bonded.

"Layla, Joey…" they were greeted as soon as they were headed to the female locker room.

It was none other than Stephanie McMahon Levesque. Normally the Executive Vice President of Creative Development and Operations worked out of the Connecticut headquarters. Since becoming a devoted mom to three beautiful little girls, her time traveling on the road had become far and few between. It usually took an important change in a major storyline for her to show up at an arena clear across the country.

"Steph, hi," Layla smiled.

Joey cleared her throat.

"It's good to see you. You look great."

It was a little awkward between the two of them. Their last meeting had consisted of a very pregnant Stephanie reprimanding both Stu and Joey and threatening to send them to the unemployment line if their affair continued.

"Thank you so much."

"What brings you on the road?" Layla inquired.

"Actually, you are just the two I was looking for. I was just about to message your phones. We have an important meeting in a half hour concerning some new changes in Creative."

The sisters looked at each other and shrugged as Stephanie excused herself. They had just enough time to put their stuff away and gossip about what the meeting could be about. 25 minutes later, they headed to the small boardroom that had been converted into a meeting place for the WWE personnel. The women made their way inside and were surprised to see other Talent already present. They were familiar faces, members of the Nexus faction. Sitting at the large round table was PJ "Justin Gabriel" Lloyd, Heath "Slater" Miller, David Otunga, Joe "Michael McGillicutty" Henning, Windham "Husky Harris" Rotunda and of course Stu "Wade Barrett" Bennett. Joey tried to look straight ahead and ignore the pounding of her heart that she felt anytime she and Stu were in the same vicinity. Layla brushed past him, making sure to give him an evil scowl along the way.

"Wonder what this is all about?" David asked. "Hope we're not losing any new members."

"On the contrary," Stephanie answered his question as she breezed in and took a seat at the head of the table. "I appreciate everyone taking time out of their busy schedule to attend this little get together. Now how are you all?"

"Fine", the group answered in unison.

"Good. I will make this as brief as possible as I know you all have matches to get ready for tonight. I don't have to tell anyone sitting here that this business has no off season. We perform three to four nights a week, 52 weeks out of the year. With that kind of hectic schedule, variety is the very spice that keeps us fresh, keeps the fans tuning in. Think about it…with the limited number of talent we have, it could get very boring and redundant doing the same old shows with the same old tired feuds month in and month out. That is why we in Creative rely on change. Change is different but it can be a good thing as long as we adapt and put the needs of the organization first. With that said, I am here to make a very special announcement. Layla and Joey…"

The sisters looked up.

"Yes?"

"You are two of our most popular Divas. You've also had a long and successful reign as the tag champions but as we know, every good thing must end sometime."

"We knew we couldn't hold the belts forever," Layla cleared her throat. "Who are we going to lose to?"

"I am thinking of teaming up Melina Perez and Nattie Neidhart. Both women are solid technical wrestlers in addition to being beautiful. Layla, you and Joey definitely set the bar when it comes to tag team wrestling in the Women's division. We in Corporate would like to see that tradition continue. We don't want the next holders of the belts to be just eye candy. I know in my heart that Melina and Nattie would bring it."

"Of course they would," Layla agreed. "It sucks to lose but there are no other girls we'd rather job to than Melina and Nat. They deserve a big push."

Stephanie tapped her pencil against the desk.

"I am glad you feel that way but that's not all."

"What's going on?"

"We will begin teasing this new storyline change on the next televised broadcast. You two will face Melina and Nattie. The match will be going in your favor until Layla you go for the Layout but Melina moves and you accidentally hit Joey. This causes an argument and allows for Melina to get the pin. Joey, you're going to be pissed off and that sets the perfect stage for what is to come."

Joey furrowed her brow.

"And what exactly is that?"

"We're breaking up your team. Layla, you will compete in singles' competition as a face. Joey, it will be your job to turn on your sister and become a heel the night you two lose the belts at a pay per view."

"What?"

"That's not all. We're going to shoot a couple of promos where various members of the Nexus will be encouraging Joey's actions, saying that she is the one who has carried the team so far and that Layla is just jealous of her. When Joey finally screws her sister over, the Nexus will be there to welcome her with open arms, thus making her the group's first female member."

There was a hushed silence all around the room as they all looked at each other in disbelief.

"Wow," Heath shook his head. "A female Nexus member. That's different…it should be cool, though."

Stu shot him a warning look and he just shrugged, giving a sheepish smile as the others just chuckled. Heath was known as a clown, always saying the wrong thing at the wrong time in that deep Southern drawl that seemed to always annoy Stu.

"Any questions, comments or concerns?" Stephanie asked the group. "Speak now or forever hold your peace."

"No," Joey said quietly.

Everyone nodded in unison, including Layla who had just begun to tear up.

"Are you okay?" Stephanie asked, passing her some Kleenex. "It will be fine. You're still sisters and it's not like the old days where you have to remain in character even when the show is over. Feel free to be seen in public together, travel together, it's okay…it's just an on air change, that's all."

Joey reached over and gave her big sister a reassuring squeeze on the hand.

"It'll be alright, Sissy."

"If there are no other questions, you all are dismissed. Creative will get with you later to talk more about the storyline. So everybody have a good show tonight and um, Joey and Stu, if you would, please hang out for a bit. I need to speak to both of you."

The others dispersed quickly leaving behind the two who had been privately summoned. Stu and Joey refused to look at each other.

"What's this all about?" Stu asked.

Stephanie looked them both square in the eye.

"I will get right to the point. It is obviously no secret that you two have…history, shall we say. During our last meeting I hope that I made it more than clear that anything outside of a professional relationship was strictly prohibited. I do appreciate your cooperation regarding that little matter. This is a business after all and we're all adults. We feel that this new storyline has the potential to explode and after several meetings and careful consideration, the other Executives and I feel that you two are mature enough to handle this new working situation. I just wanted to personally let you know that everything we previously discussed, still stands. Your interactions are strictly limited to storyline purposes only. You will both be carefully watched and any infractions will not be tolerated. Do I make myself clear?"

"You do," Joey said quietly.

"There will be no problems," Stu assured her.

"Very well. Then I'll let you two get back to work. Thank you very much for your time. I look forward to hearing good things about this new change."

With that, they were dismissed. They filed out of the room in single fashion. Joey looked out the door but saw no sign of her sister. Figuring she had gone to the restroom, Joey headed down the long hall that led to the bathrooms. When someone yanked her by the arm, she let out a little yelp that was quickly silenced when a large hand clapsed over her mouth.

"Johana, shhhh. It's me, love."

When she relaxed, he released his grip. Joey found herself staring into that familiar and haunting set of blue eyes.

"Stu, what are you doing?"

"I had to speak with you…"

"Are you out of your mind?" she asked in a loud whisper. "Did you not just hear what Steph said? For crying out loud they had a freaking meeting to determine if you and I could even work together. She said they will be watching us closely. We just left her like a minute ago. We can't be seen together like this."

He looked around.

"I was careful. No one followed me."

"I don't care. This isn't good. What if Lay sees us?"

"What I have to say won't take long."

"Stu…"

"I just want you to know that I am thrilled that you will be joining the Nexus. Professionally, I think it is a brilliant idea. You are one of the most formidible female competitors in wrestling today. It would be an honor to stand alongside you in that ring."

She bit her lip.

"And personally?"

He smirked at her.

"Any opportunity to spend time with you is always a good thing. We can be together without all the sneaking around and soon enough, my dear, all that is going to stop anyway."

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you remember those moves I was talking about?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, the plan is already in motion. Soon I will be leaving Jacqueline."

"What?" Joey practically yelled.

"Not so loud, love."

"Sorry," she grinned, barely able to control her growing excitement. "It's just that I'm shocked and so happy. Do you mean it?"

Stu looked around one more time before pulling her close.

"Of course I mean it. You just had to trust me, give me more time. Patience is certainly not one of your strong points, Johana. But I am working very diligently on taking care of the issues I promised I would take care of. Soon, you will be a member of Nexus and we can see each other all the time without all the sneaking around. And once my separation and divorce plans are finalized, then no one will have the right to tell us that we can't be together. What do you think about that?"

"Oh Stu," she threw her arms around his neck. "Baby, this is so wonderful. God, this is the best news ever! I love you so much."

He looked into her eyes.

"You too."

It was a moment she wanted to last forever but time was not on their side. They couldn't risk being found out again. So with a sexy wink, grin, and playful pat on her behind, Stu simply walked away and in the nick of time as the door to the ladies' room opened up.

"Lay…"

"Hey babe," she forced a smile.

"You okay?"

Layla took her hand.

"I'm good. You?"

Joey shrugged.

"Dealing with it but it will be fine. Come on, let's get out of here."

"I'm just worried," Layla dabbed at her eyes again.

"Sissy, you worry way too much. We'll be fine. It's just a storyline like Stephanie said. It will be okay. We can be apart in the ring, it's okay."

Layla looked right at her sister.

"That's not what I'm worried about. I'm not worried because you will be away from me, I am worried because of who you will be next to."

Joey knew she was talking about Stu. Her breath caught in her throat but she ignored that feeling and the conversation.

"It will be fine, Lay," she tried to convince her sister and herself. "It will be just fine."

A smile crept to her lips. As much as she loved her sister, she was happy that both of them could show off their athletic skills aside from working with each other. Then there was Stu. Due to the storyline, they could not only work together but travel together as well without seeming suspicious. And that was a wonderful thing. The only thing more wonderful was that Stu was about to leave his wife. Joey could barely hold it together. The winds of change were about to take place. In addition to being the newly crowned queen of Nexus, she could also resume her position as queen of Stu Bennett's heart. Life didn't get any better than that.


	4. One Of The Boys

Joey El usually spent most of her time at work with her sister but she had texted Layla to tell her to eat lunch without her. She had made other plans. Walking down the corridor in the arena that led to Catering, she opened the door and found the six men she had been looking for. Sitting around a large table, laughing and talking were the six members of the Nexus. Grabbing a cup of soup, a hot sandwich and a diet soda she marched right up to them.

"Hey guys," she smiled csually. "Room for one more?"

She made it a point purposefully to sit as far away from Stu as possible. Smiling at her, Windham Rotunda pulled up a chair next to him and Heath Miller.

"What do we owe the pleasure of having a beautiful woman join us for lunch?" PJ Lloyd asked.

Joey blushed and cleared her throat.

"Well, we all know what is happening with the new storyline. It was a shock to everyone but we have to make the best of it. I personally think that the angle with the Nexus has been nothing short of brilliant. I feel like we can really make this work. Adding a female member to the mix has the potential to be explosive and I feel really lucky and happy and thankful that Stephanie and everybody else at Corporate had the faith in me to trust me with this. So with that said, I don't know a lot about you guys. Actually my sister, Layla, and I keep to ourselves a lot but since we're all gonna be working together so closely, I figured we get to know each other."

Joe Henning leaned over and extended his hand.

"Well, I'm glad you came by, Joey. Coming to the WWE and being apart of this storyline has been amazing, a dream come true for me. I think the new changes are good. We should be able to do a lot of cool things with it."

"Thank you," she smiled, shaking it. "I'm very excited. I'm sorry I had been meaning to come up to you and introduce myself when you came up from FCW."

"It's okay. I know you're busy and I'm still getting to know everybody around here myself."

"Your dad was such a legend. I mean that. He changed the business and made it better. It's an honor to get to work with you. Hopefully I can learn a lot."

"Thanks. I've always wanted to do this. Dad always encouraged me to get an education first and I honored his wishes but I think we both knew this is where I was going to end up."

"I met your dad once," Joey turned her attention to Windham. "He was such a doll. It was at one of the Legends appearances. I met him, your uncle Barry and your little brother, Taylor. Everyone was so nice. Is Taylor still wrestling down in Florida?"

"Yeah, I think the Old Man mentioned that," Windham drawled. "Taylor is still doing his thing in FCW, thanks for asking. Hopefully, he'll be here sometime soon. We tagged together down in FCW and did some really good stuff. It would be a dream come true to work with him here. Anyway, it's nice to have you, Joey. I'm new to this whole thing but whatever you need, just let me know."

"Thank you," she turned to PJ. "I am actually really excited about working with you. Your 450 splash is amazing. I'm serious. It is one of the best finishes in pro wrestling today. You have a really innovative style and I feel like I could learn a lot from shadowing you in the ring. Working from the top rope can always be a little intimidating but I'm ready to start doing more complex skills."

"That's very kind of you," PJ blushed, his accented voice deep but soft. "Wrestling in England and South Africa, I got to learn a lot of different styles as far as on the mat and in the air. I'm also trained in martial arts but I would be honored to show you anything you need to know."

"You know, you're no Rook yourself," David Otunga noted. "We've watched your tapes, seen you in the ring. You're good, Joey. You and your sister really changed the Women's division and you basically set the bar for women's tag team wrestling. I think there is a lot you can bring not only to the story but the group as well. I, we're all really looking forward to it."

"Thanks, David, I really appreciate that," she grinned. "That's so sweet of you to say."

"It'll be cool," Heath took a huge bite of his sandwich. "I think there's stuff we can teach you, stuff you can teach us. I think your biggest challenge will be getting used to all the burping, the farting, the dirty jokes, and stinky socks all over the place. Once you get past that, you'll find that we're a pretty fun group."

The guys all laughed and poked Heath in his arms. He was the proverbial clown of the bunch.

"Sounds like a blast…I think," she giggled. "Well, I may be new to this whole Nexus thing but don't forget, I'm not new to the locker room so I'm used to being around a bunch of sweaty, stinky, cursing men all day. It takes a lot more than that to run me away, guys."

"Then you'll be one of the boys," Heath joked. "And with a name like Joey, you should fit right in."

They all laughed as a visibly bothered Stu shifted in his seat. Joey felt herself starting to squirm as well. At the beginning of their affair, the two had been open about their ongoing relationship. It was prior to Joe and Windham's debut with the company but Heath, David and PJ had been well aware of what was going on although the three had minded their own business and been too gentlemenly to say anything about it. At the time it hadn't bothered Joey but now sitting in front of her new colleagues, she suddenly felt very embarrassed by her actions. She wished she could have explained herself. If they all only knew just how much she and Stu loved each other, how connected their souls were, they would understand. But she couldn't explain herself. And she couldn't sit there and ignore Stu altogether either. That would have been too obvious and it would have drawn too much attention to the two of them. That was the last thing they needed.

"I, I'm looking forward to working with you as well, Stu. Wasteland is brutal. I'd love to bump with you in the ring sometime."

"In time," he replied curtly, eating his food and barely making eye contact.

Already she knew what it was about. It wasn't just about trying to keep their distance in public. Stu could be very jealous at times. He had a beautiful girlfriend who happened to work for a company that employed dozens of gorgeous and available men. What man in their right mind wouldn't find the exotic looking beauty attractive? He often accused her of being too flirtacious when it came to some of her male co-workers. Though he was looking forward to being so close to her inside Nexus, he was less than thrilled that she would also be close to five other men.

"Joey, if you want, in two hours, Heath and I were going to head over to one of the local gyms if you want to come," Windham offered.

"Thanks. Actually, I'd like that very much. I need to work arms anyway and get in a little cardio."

"Good deal," Heath finished up his food. "After that, maybe we can head down to the ring before tonight's show. I think it would be good to bump, work on some moves, see how we all gel together. May as well get started."

"For sure," Joey nodded excitedly. "I can't wait. Sounds like a plan."

"Cool. We'll see you then."

Lunch was over and the other men stood, throwing out the trash and putting up their trays. They dispersed and were talking among themselves, leaving Stu and Joey alone briefly.

"Well, I guess I'll see you down at the ring later. That should be fun, right?"

"It's a bad idea," Stu folded his arms.

"Why? Heath said…"

"Heath said? Who is Heath? Johana, I don't give a damn what Heath. It is a bad idea."

"But…"

"You joining the Nexus is going to be a good thing for the storyline but there are certain things you need to know."

"Like what?"

"Like you need to watch yourself working with a bunch of cunt hounds."

Joey laughed out loud in spite of herself. Sometimes Stu had the weirdest and funniest expressions. His English accent only worsened it.

"Cunt hounds, huh? Sounds like I'm in serious danger," she joked.

"It's not a laughing matter."

"They're nice guys and they are your friends. Stu, you should be ashamed of yourself. David is married, Joe is married, and PJ is in a relationship with Barbie. Windham and Heath are harmless. I don't see what the big deal is besides you know I only have eyes for you," she made sure to lower her voice.

"This is work, Johana. It's serious business. You're here to do a job, not win popularity contests or make friends."

He had that frown on his face, the one he always wore when he scolded her. The one that made her feel like a little child who had done something wrong.

"I know. I'm sorry. I just want to fit in, okay? I just want to make sure I have chemistry with the group before we take this live. Like I said, we're all going to be working so closely together so we may as well get along, you know?"

She waited for his reponse, for the stern look to disappear but before it could, various staff members entered the dining area thus signaling the end of their conversation. Joey hated leaving things like that, not knowing what else he had to say to her, not knowing if he was upset with her. Barbie Blank aka Kelly Kelly walked in the door. She threw her arms around her boyfriend, PJ's neck before planting a long and lingering kiss on his lips. The scene stung Joey for a second. They were a young couple, happy and in love, expressing that love openly not caring who saw. She only wished she and her lover could be that care free.

"Hi Stu, hi Joey," the blonde bombshell greeted the two.

Stu mumured a greeting before excusing himself and walking away.

"Hey Barbie, it's good to see you."

"I'm glad I found you, maybe you can relay this message to Layla. I peeped a new outlet mall just a few miles away from here conveninently right on the way to the airport. Me and some of the girls are checking them out tomorrow morning before we fly out. I was hoping you'd want to come."

"Huh? Oh yeah. Sure. Sounds great. Thanks for the invite and count me in. I'm sure Lay will be down."

"Okay, sweetie, I'll see you then. Shoot me a text," she said before walking off.

Joey was still distracted from her earlier encounter with Stu. She jumped a little when she felt a hand touch her shoulder from behind.

"Heath," she gasped. "Gosh, you scared me."

"Sorry. Just making sure you're cool with the plan for later."

"Yeah," she shifted. "Um, absolutely. Thanks again for inviting me."

He narrowed his eyes.

"You sure you okay, babe?"

He called everybody babe.

"Yeah. I…um, never mind. It's not important. I'm fine. I'll see you later actually."

Heath nodded and walked off. Joining the Nexus professionally was her only ticket to getting closer to Stu personally. She didn't care about those other guys and she wished he would realize just how undying her love and devotion was for him. In her heart Joey knew everything was going to work out. The guys had been more than welcoming and once everybody got into a groove, it would be just fall into place. And once Stu divorced his wife, they would be able to be open about their relationship. When that happened, everything would be perfect.


	5. Say It Ain't So

Joey nervously bounced around, shifting her weight from foot to foot as she impatiently waited in the Gorilla. Just a few feet away was her big sister, Layla, but the two women were not talking. It was uncharacteristic for them as they were tag team partners and the best of friends but this night was different. After weeks of teasing the onscreen tension between the two women, it was time. Johana El would be making a heel turn in a few minutes and both thought it would be best to try to focus more on the match and less on each other.

Shortly after the Creative meeting with Stephanie McMahon Levesque, the plan to split up the Divas' tag champions had gone into play. For weeks the fans had looked on in disbelief at the slow unraveling of what had once appeared to be an unbreakable bond. There had been dissension and miscommunication that had caused the champs to lose several matches. Johana had obviously been frustrated and had begun to place blame on her sister. Feeding that tension had been the diabolical six that made up the Nexus. Backstage promos had shown various members of the group coming up to Joey fanning the flames of the sisters' struggles. During her matches they had even been so bold to come to ringside or stand at the top of the ramp, pointing at her, looking on in deep discussion. Their fearless leader, Wade Barrett, had even made several comments regarding the recruitment of the perfect Alpha female to complete the Nexus regime.

"Are we ready?" one of the AD's asked as the camera crew zoomed in on where Joey was standing.

"Ready," Joey took a breath.

A PA nodded and the camera began rolling on the count of five as the promo was being played live to both the RAW studio and home audiences.

"Well, well, well, look who we have here, fellas," Heath Slater sauntered up to her, the Men's tag gold secured proudly around his chiseled waist.

His partner, Justin Gabriel, along with David Otunga followed.

"What are you guys doing here?" Johana rolled her eyes and folded her arms. "What do you want?"

"Just checking out the scenery," Justin smirked. "You have a match coming up next, don't you?"

"So? What's it to you guys?"

They all laughed and murmured, putting up their hands defensively.

"Relax, babe," Heath chuckled. "We're just out here to show some support, right guys? You and your sister, Layla, are defending your belts against Melina and Natalya tonight. From one set of tag champions to another, we just want you to know we have your back."

"I don't need you to have my back, Heath. Look, no offense but I've seen you guys watching me the past few weeks, coming out when I have my matches. I don't know what you're up to but I don't like it."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Otunga intervened. "I do take offense to that. We're kind of hurt, aren't we guys?"

"We are," Justina and Heath chimed in.

"Why do we have to be up to something?" David asked.

"Because you guys are the Nexus. Everyone knows who you are, what you are, what you do, what you're capable of. You're ruthless, destructive. You have taken over the WWE and in the process taken out some of its top Superstars. Then, when you got tired of that, you turned on each other. Remember Darren Young and Michael Tarver and Daniel Bryan?"

"Johana, the Nexus is the single most dominant faction in professional wrestling today," David explained. "Just like our music says, We Are One. You see, everybody wants a piece of the pie, they want to be on top. Well, I have news for everyone. The Nexus is at the top of the food chain and in order to stay that way, we had to trim the fat along the way. Tarver, Young, Bryan? Those guys were losers. They didn't belong with us, they weren't good enough. They weren't strong enough. They held us back, weighed us down. Sound familiar?"

The crowd, watching, began to boo.

"I don't know what you three are talking about..."

"Of course you do," Heath began. "Johana, you work your ass off. How many times in the past in Singles' competition have you beaten Melina?"

Joey thought for a minute.

"I don't know. A lot, I guess."

"What about Natalya?" Justin continued to instigate.

"More than I can count."

"Exactly," David added. "Then how come, the last few matches, tag matches with two opponents you have repeatedly annihilated on your own in the past, tell us why you've been on a losing streak."

"I…"

Heath smirked.

"What's the common denominator, babe?"

"I'll tell you," Justin leaned in. "Your sister."

"That's right," David added. "Look, I know she's blood and all but let's face it, she's holding you back. She just can't cut it like you can, Layla doesn't have what it takes. She doesn't have your natural talent and never will. I know it sucks but you need to think about what you're going to do. Sometimes you just have to know when to cut a man loose…"

"Or a woman," Heath laughed as the others joined him.

"I'm just sayin'," David threw it out there as they stalked off leaving Johana obviously in deep thought.

"…And cut! Great work, everyone," the AD said after their spot had ended.

Joey exhaled.

"You okay?" Layla walked over to her.

"Yeah."

"That was a good promo."

"Thanks," the younger sibling replied meekly.

"Well, it's about that time. We're up next."

Joey nodded. She felt like she was going to vomit or faint or both. After the commerical break, she waited as Melina and Natalya were introduced as a tag team and as challengers. Once they were in the ring, the sisters' music hit and belts over their shoulders, they began the walk down the ramp for what would be their final time together. The fans popped for them as usual and while Layla was all smiles, Johana looked like the weight of the world was on her shoulders. The sisters slid underneath the ring, then Layla did her usual of seductively straddling the top rope. When Johana looked distracted, Layla went over and asked her what was wrong as the younger girl forced a smile and tried to assure her that everything was okay.

The match was paticularly exciting because it was the rare chance for one of the Divas' matches to be a Main Event on RAW. All four women were beautiful and athletic and most importantly could really wrestle. Joey and Melina kicked things off. Joey had managed to keep the advantage throughout the match while Melina struggled. Finally making it to her corner, the Latina beauty had secured the tag and after a few minutes of back and forth, Joey tagged in Layla as well. Natalya and Layla kicked things off and after two lockups and a series of punches and kicks, Natalya gained a quick advantage with a Powerslam. Layla landed hard and in perfect position for the Sharpshooter. Natalya immediately went in for the kill and cinched the move in, feeling satisfied with herself as her opponent writhed in pain. Layla was in the middle of the ring with nowhere to go. Struggling to hold on and refusing to tap out, she was finally able to counter the move, throwing Natalya for a loop. The blonde lost her grip which allowed Layla to make it to the ropes, forcing Natalya to break the hold.

Layla was hurting and desperately looking for the tag. After taking Natalya down with a kick to the midsection, she had managed to crawl over and just when she was fingertips away from the tag, Natalya tagged in Melina who came from behind with a devastating classic Bulldog. Layla went down hard. Melina was relentless, giving the other woman the beating of her career but Layla refused to quit. Mustering every ounce of strength she had left, she managed to get Melina up in the air for a Suplex. Both women were out, causing Justin King to start the count for a double countout. At five, Melina made it to her feet, pulling a lifeless Layla up by the neck as Johana screamed words of encouragement and tried to keep the crowd involved. Layla somehow managed to sling Melina into the ropes, attempting to go for a Clothesline but Melina had the same idea. They connected again and once more, both women were flat on their backs. The collision had been devastating. Both were staggering, trying to get up and Layla made it to her feet first. Giving it her all, she stumbled to her corner and tagged in her sister, which really got the crowd going.

Johana entered the ring with a vengance. She went after Melina but the reaction from the crowd told all four wrestlers that they had company. The smirking Nexus members slinked down to the ring, surrounding it. As Layla tried to pick herself up off the floor and onto the apron, Wade Barrett came over pretending to help before finally knocking her back down again. He gave a haughty and satisfied laugh as the crowd booed him and his five followers laughed and applauded his heinous actions. Johana was oblivious continuing her assault on Melina as Husky Harris distracted the referee. That allowed Michael McGillicutty to come in and manhandle Johana. She fought back but the damage had been done.

Melina went for the Suplex and took Johana down. As she recovered, Slater and Gabriel were on the outside screaming at her. She tried to look away from them but couldn't. Melina tagged Natalya back in who was refreshed and ready to go. The blonde was no match for Johana who was running on a full tank of pure adrenaline alone. She countered every offensive attack and dropped Natalya like a hot potato with a powerful DDT. She was exhausted but there was no one to tag. Layla was still out of commission on the floor, feeling the effects of not only the match but the brutal attack by Wade Barrett. Layla crawled her way to the apron of her corner and the crowd audibly gasped when all of a sudden, Johana tagged her sister in. Layla was in no position to enter the ring so the younger girl helped her along with a Scoop Slam into the center of the ring. The fans went wild as the King begged Johana to rethink her actions.

It was of no use. Weeks of frustration finally exploded as Johana began to attack her older sister. Melina and Natalya looked on stunned as the Nexus clapped and cheered Johana on. When Layla was motionless lying on her stomach, Johana callously used her foot to kick, then flip her sister over. She then backed away as a reluctant Natalya went for the pin thus winning her and Melina the belts. The fans were in a complete tizzy. Johana, unphased, walked quietly up the ramp as the Nexus followed her. Once she got to the top, she stopped, turned and faced the camera and the fans. All six men surrounded her as she smirked at her lifeless sister. Adding insult to injury and making her intentions that much clearer to anyone who still had doubt, Johana removed the Flawless tank she had been wrestling in to reveal and eve skimpier tank top underneath. But the revealing nature hadn't been what got everyone's attention. It was the yellow square with the black N in the middle of it. It was official. The Nexus now had a seventh member and it was a woman. It was the company's favorite babyface, Johana El. And that was how RAW ended.

"Hell yeah!" Heath picked up Joey and swung her around backstage when the cameras were safely off. "That was fucking awesome, babe!"

Joey knew it had gone exceptionally well. Joe, Windham, PJ, and David ran over and hugged and high fived her as well. She joined in the celebration for a few minutes but quickly stopped. She didn't know how real Layla's injuries were or if she was just selling. And also the steely, disapproving glance coming from Stu certainly put a damper on things as well. She cleared her throat just in time to see the ref helping Layla backstage.

"Lay, are you alright, sweetie?" Joey ran to her.

Layla winced.

"I'm fine. I'll be sore in the morning but it's okay."

"Are you sure? Did I go too far? Did I hurt you?"

"No, you were great, Joey. A certain kick to the ribs from he who shall not be named was a little too real but I was in the ring, not the dance studio so I'll chalk it up to occupational hazard," she shot Stu a disgusted look.

Both knew he had relished at the chance to take it to someone he couldn't stand in real life.

"Layla, if you want to hang with the boys, you'll have to take a beating like the boys," Stu smirked.

The conversation stopped when they were surprised by Vince McMahon. He walked in clapping with a huge smile on his face.

"Great work, everybody," he began. "That looked good out there. Johana, nice work, Layla, great sell."

"Thank you, sir," they said at the same time.

"We are very pleased to get the ball rolling with this new storyline. Tonight begins a new era. Nexus will truly take over."

Everyone was pleased and proud, particularly Joey. Looking over from her sister to her secret boyfriend, a lump formed in her chest. As Vince had stated, a new beginning had started. For Joey it was personal as well as professional. She was where she needed to be, she was now confident of that but it also left her with a heavy heart. She had no idea what the future held but hoped it would only be good things. Good or bad, she was now stuck between a rock and a hard place. And there would be no turning back.


	6. Blood Is Thicker

Joey sighed as she knocked on the door of her big sister's hotel room. Just seconds later, Layla bounded to the door with a smile, opening it and giving her a huge bear hug. It had been exactly one week since Joey's heel turn with the Nexus. The girls still lived together in Miami and of course saw each other at the arenas but they had stopped traveling together. Joey felt like it would be a good idea to bond with Windham, Joe, David, PJ, Heath and of course Stu. She was a full fledged member of Nexus now and in order to have chemistry onscreen, they needed to be able to gel together offscreen as well. Layla had understood and had even been supportive but missed her little sister terribly. She had come up with a plan to play catch up. They needed some one on one girl time, a night of gossiping, laughing and talking just the two of them. Layla had been planning it for days and had been super excited about it which was why Joey had refused to disappoint her and cancel at the last minute, much to Stu's dismay.

Joey had been trying to sneak in quality time with Stu ever since the heel turn but every night he had some excuse. She had mentioned to the boys while they had been at the gym her plans with her sister. She had been excited about it even. Then right before she was due to meet Layla, she had received a text from Stu asking to meet up. When she explained to him that she couldn't and why, he had refused to take no for an answer. Torn between a rock and a hard place, forced to choose, Joey had gone with her sister and her boyfriend had been furious. Rarely, if ever had she turned him down. She knew there would be hell to pay later as Stu Bennett's in ring tantrums paled in comparison to his real life ones.

"Hey, Baby Girl, I missed you," Layla hugged her, pulling her close.

"How are you, Lay?"

"Wonderful now that you're here. I have such a fun night planned for us. We can watch movies all night, one slasher, one comedy, one tearjerker. We've got pizza, pepperoni and mushrooms on my half, extra cheese, black olives and spicy Italian sausage on yours. After that, we have ice cream and then I have found this new brand of false eyelashes that all the girls are using. I'm telling you, Joey,they are to die for, strand by strand, not strips, thank you very much. You are going to love them."

"Sounds good," Joey tried to sound excited.

She loved her sister and loved spending time with her but she also hated when Stu was mad at her. She could only imagine how angry he was going to be next time she saw him.

"You look distracted, a little sad even. Is everything okay?"

"Everything is great," Joey forced a smile.

Layla treaded carefully.

"Talk to me. How is it going with the guys?"

"Honestly? They are great. Lay, you really should get to know them, hang out with them. They're an awesome bunch of guys. Joe is really quiet and serious but he's super nice. Windham…he is like the coolest guy in the world. I'm serious. He is so becoming my favorite person ever. We spend a lot of time together. He has a really fun, laid back personality and we just have the best time on the flights and in the car. David is really sweet. I thought he was gonna be a douche, like stuck up for real just like his A list character but he is so far from it. He is very kind and thoughtful and just really humble. PJ is a doll, too. He is so passionate about this business and he is really taking me under his wing and teaching me so much. I love bumping with him in the ring. And Heath…that's a wild guy. He is such a clown, I swear he's not serious about anything. He definitely keeps me in stitches, that's for sure. What about you?"

Layla nodded. She was glad Joey was having a good time. She was glad the guys were taking care of her.

"I've had a couple of meetings with Creative and they have some really awesome and exciting new ideas for me as a face in the Single's division but uh…you forgot to mention one other person in that little line up you just mentioned."

Joey's cheeks turned dark red.

"Yeah. Um, you mean Stu?"

"Of course. Who else? How is the dirtbag anyway?"

"Oh Layla, stop it. Don't say mean things about him. He is not a dirtbag."

"Yes he is and it's too bad everyone can see it but you, little sis."

"You are just awful, you know that? It's not like he sits back and says bad things about you," Joey lied. "He doesn't call you mean names."

Layla gave her a knowing look.

"We both know that is a bunch of bull. Besides, he kicked me in the ribs."

"It was part of the script, I'm sure if he went too far it's just because he is an intense performer and just gets so into the Wade Barrett character as a heel."

"Yeah, I'm sure that was it…"

"Layla, why don't you like him?"

"What's not to like? Let me think for a minute…he's rude and crude, arrogant, unapproachable, impossible and oh yeah, he is the very married man that seduced my little sister and nearly got her fired from her dream job. Are those enough reasons for you?"

Joey sighed.

"First of all you don't know him like that. Stu is just…he's very misunderstood. He comes off as a jerk but that's really not him, you just have to get to know him."

"Joey…"

"And he didn't seduce me like I'm some innocent child and he's a predator. It just happened between us, it was fate. And the whole marriage thing? Well, that's a crock. He and Jackie are over, way over. In fact, they never had anything to begin with. You know, he says he made a mistake the moment he said I Do. Stu didn't even want to marry her. He never loved her, she's just desperate and determined to hold on to him for some dumb, crazy reason. That is so sad and pathetic. I mean, the guy doesn't want you, why can't you just have some dignity and back off and let him be happy?"

Layla studied her sister, shaking her head at what she saw.

"Oh Joe…"

"What?"

"I don't want to start a fight…"

"Then please don't."

"But…"

"Oh God, here we go…" Joey muttered under her breath.

"I'm worried about you."

"Don't be. I'm not a child, I don't need to be looked after, Sissy. I can take care of myself."

"I know, it's just…answer me one question."

"What's that?" Joey sighed.

"You're not back together with him, are you? That's been really bothering me. I just have this dreadful feeling that you and Stu are sneaking around again."

Joey nearly fell off the bed.

"What? No…of course not. Lay, that, that is so stupid. Where would you get an idea like that?"

"Because of the storyline, you two are thrown together a lot and have to spend time together. Because he is a manipulative, lying, and controlling sleaze ball and I know you really fell for him. I see the way he still looks at you. I just don't want you to fall for that again if he tries to convince you to come back."

"I won't," Joey squirmed around uncomfortably."Gosh, it's not like that."

"You are a beautiful, intelligent girl with so much going for you. You have your whole life and your whole career ahead of you. I just don't want to see you waste your life on some married loser who is never going to leave his wife, no matter how many lies and stories he feeds you."

"Well, none of it matters considering Stu and I are done and we've been over for a long time."

"Good because you know what could, no what will happen if you start seeing him again. Stephanie was dead serious. They are going to fire you. And for what? You are making a name for yourself in the WWE and you've come so far. Is it really worth it? Is he really worth it?"

Joey sighed. Layla just didn't get it and never would. As Stu had told her, Layla could not even begin to comprehend what they felt for each other.

"Okay, Lay, you've made your point. I get it so you can drop it now. Come on."

"Joey…"

"No. I came over here to hang out with you so we could spend time together, have fun. And I was really looking forward to that. The last thing I wanted to hear was a stupid lecture and if this is all you're going to talk about all night, why don't I just do us both a favor and leave?"

"Joey, wait," Layla grabbed her arm.

"What?"

"I, I'm sorry, alright? I didn't mean to upset you. I want us to have a good night."

"Then why are you trying to ruin it?"

"I'm not. I just care about you…"

"Lay…"

Layla looked away and when she looked back up, Joey noticed that she was crying. Mad or not, Joey loved her big sister to death and the last thing she wanted to do was make her cry. It made her feel awful.

"I'm sorry…"

"Layla, please stop crying," Joey begged softly.

Layla wiped at her nose.

"I know sometimes I can get too overprotective, overbearing even. I also know you're not a kid anymore but in my eyes, you will always be my baby sister which means it is my job to look after you. I brought you here to the WWE and yeah it is a tremendous place to work but just like everything else, you have to be careful. I don't want to see you hurt and I just can't stand by and watch people take advantage of you. I love you too much for that. And now with Mom gone…"

"Don't," Joey felt her own tears coming. "Don't do that. Please don't bring up, Mom."

It had been two years already but that loss was still fresh and painful for the two siblings.

"All we have is each other. We have to look out for each other, Joe, and that's all I'm trying to do."

Fresh tears spilled down Joey's cheeks. She knew Layla meant well and only had her best interest at heart.

"I know, I know. Look, I'm sorry for being such a brat sometimes. I don't mean to be. I love you and I am so glad to be here doing this with you. You're my sister and my best friend. Thanks for looking out for me, Lay. I know you mean well and I love you for it."

"I love you too, Joey."

The girls embraced and as they did, Joey could feel the vibration of her cell phone in her pcoket. She already knew who it was. Her feelings for Stu Bennett were stronger than ever but there was a time and a place for everything and Joey knew their time had not arrived…at least not yet. It was coming and when it did, she knew Layla was going to have a hard time with it but the older sister would just have to learn to live with it. In the meantime, she would have to try to balance the two most important relationships in her life. Stu meant the world to her but so did Layla. One day she knew that she would be his wife and when they took vows they would pledge that no person or thing would ever come between them. That would be mean Layla as well but in the meantime, blood was thicker than water.


	7. Love The Way You Lie

Joey stretched across the bed of the hotel absent mindedly watching the random daytime talk show that happened to be playing on the TV. It was mid afternoon and in an hour or so it would be time to head out to the arena and get ready for Monday Night RAW. She had snuck out of her own room in the early morning hours and into the room of her boyfriend, Stu Bennett. They had made love several times and now she was lounging around in the overized Nexus tee shirt that smelled like him as he meticulously ironed his clothes for the day.

"This is really sad," she sighed. "How can you seriously test 17 men to be the father of your baby and still not find him? That means at the very least, you had to have unprotected sex with 18 men in less than a one week period. That is so gross. Who does that? That's why I find it hard to sympathize with these women."

Stu rolled his eyes.

"Stupid Americans and their ridiculous television programming. It's complete rubbish. I can't believe you're even watching this nonsense, Johana."

"There's nothing else on," she whined. "I'll turn in a minute, just let me see if that other guy passes his lie detector test. For the record, I totally think he cheated."

Stu ignored her, continuing his ironing until his cell phone that was lying on one on the tables began to buzz. He walked over to it, picking it up and checking the Caller ID. As he did, he turned to Joey and put his index finger to his lips to shush her. Answering the phone in a hushed tone, he stepped a few feet away into the bathroom to take the call. Just by his mannerisms and the new, softer sound of his voice, Joey knew full well who was on the other end of that phone call. It had to be Stu's wife, Jackie. The conversation lasted several minutes. Joey struggled to hear what was being said but it was easy to tell that the nature of their talk was calm and even light hearted. She sat up on the bed and waited impatiently with bated breath. It wasn't the first time Jackie had called when Joey and Stu were together but the call had shocked Joey nevetheless. For weeks Stu had been boasting about "making moves" to effectively end his marriage so they could be together. If that was the case, why had he even accepted her call in the first place? And why had he insisted that Joey keep quiet.

"…Yes, Jacqueline…I will speak with you soon, my dear…I love you."

He ended the call and went back to his ironing as if nothing had happened. Joey was beside herself.

"What the hell was that?" Joey stood, hands on her hips, staring daggers at him.

"What are you talking about?" he asked in a calm voice, not even bothering to look up at her.

"That," she marched over him, pointing to his phone. "Her."

Stu smirked.

"Have we taken to eavesdropping now? That does not become you, Johana."

"Are you being serious right now? You have the nerve to smirk at me? Stu, none of this is funny. Why did she call here? What did she want? Why were you talking to her?"

"That, my love, is none of your business," he carefully hung up his freshly pressed white collared shirt.

"None of my business?" Joey repeated.

"Jacqueline is my wife."

"Yeah, the wife that you don't have feelings for, remember? You said you were going to leave her," Joey's voice rose. "You told me it was over."

"I told you that was the plan."

"And?"

He shrugged nonchalantly.

"Plans change."

"Stu!" she practically yelled.

"Johana, for crying out loud, lower your voice!"

The last thing either one of them needed was to be outed with a half dressed Joey in his hotel room amisdt rumpled sheets and the lingering smell of early morning sex.

"What is going on?"

"Jacqueline called to discuss something private…"

"Private?"

"Yes private. She is doing some renovations to the house and had a question about the contractors."

"And that's why you told her that you love her?"

"Johana…"

"No, Stu! I'm so tired of this."

"And I am tired of you. You are a complete pain in my arse sometimes."

"What is going on with you?"

"Johana…"

"No, you owe me an explanation. If you don't tell me right now, I'm walking out that door and I'm not coming back!"

He didn't even try to hide his shit eating grin as he looked her in the eye.

"Save the dramatics for the ring, why don't you? I can't believe you and your pathetic ultimatums. You're acting like a complete child right now."

Joey stood and reached for her jeans.

"I'm not kidding around with you. You're laughing this is a big game, like it's a goddamned joke or something. You promised you were going to leave. You said you were done with her this time and that you and I could be together and we could stop sneaking around!"

In a hysterical huff, she slid into her jeans and changed shirts before slipping her bare feet into flip flops. As she tried to go out the door, Stu grabbed her by the arm.

"I know what I said, Johana. I said it and I meant it."

"Then why haven't you follwed up? Why aren't you filing for divorce? If you meant it, you woul keep your promise to me."

"I can't right now. As much as I want to, I can't. It's impossible," he answered quietly.

"What?"

"I went to see my attorney regarding the divorce last week. This also happens to be the same lawyer who is handling my immigration status. As you know, Johana, I am in the country on a work visa but I have been thinking that I want to become a permanent U.S. citizen."

"You do?" she asked puzzled.

Stu loved the UK and often complained about the behavior of Americans.

"I do. The easiest way for me to gain citizenship at this point is through my marriage. I can get my green card but only if we are married for two years and the marriage looks real. That means living together and giving the image that everything is okay."

"Two years? Seriously? Stu!"

"Believe me, this is the last thing I wanted or expected but it's the only way. It can't be avoided."

"No. There has to be another way. What about dual citizenship. You could get it after the divorce is finalized."

He shook his head.

"Dual citizenship is a tricky situation and you have to have U.S. citizenship first. I have already filed the apporpiate paperwork but filing for divorce at this point would kill any chance I have."

"So what am I supposed to do?"

"A little patience would be appreciated."

Joey shook her head.

"I have been more than patient with you but now you're telling me that I have to wait one more year? That's one more year of sneaking around and just sitting idly by while you go home and fuck your wife, the wife you supposedly don't love?"

"Would you stop? For the love of God, your selfishness amazes me. I just explained what is going on and I knew you would react this way which is precisely why I didn't want to tell you in the first place."

"That's it…"

"Johana…"

"No, Stu," she began to cry. "You are absolutely killing me. You're breaking my heart. This isn't fair and it isn't right. Layla's right. I can't believe I have been so stupid and so blind and naïve. Everybody was right. Everyone can see it but me. You don't care about me. All you want is to have your cake and eat it, too. All you want is to have some side piece of ass available at your beck and call while you're on the road. You never had any itention of leaving Jackie, you just tell me what I want to hear. Well, I'm tired of it. I'm tired of being used and it's going to stop today."

"You don't mean that," he held both arms. "You're just upset. Johana, you know how I feel about you. You know I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you. I am trapped in a most undesirable situation that I am desperately trying to get out of. You are the only woman I want to be with, the one I intend to spend my life with but that unfortunately can't happen right away. I need time to figure this out, to make it work somehow. And I'm going to need your patience and cooperation."

She heard his words, the very words that were ripping out her insides. She was in love with that man. She had loved him the very first time she had laid eyes on him. They were soul mates but only one thing stood in the way. Everybody had warned her about the heartbreak and lies that came with being involved with a married man but she had ignored their warnings. Stu was different. He had made promises to her. And when he had given her his word, she had believed him. He was going to leave Jackie so they could start a life together. Now she'd have to wait a year, a whole other year. Just the thought made her want to scream or vomit or both. His meaningless words and empty promises shattered her to the very core but one look in those gorgeous blue eyes resuscitated and it reminded her of the love they shared.

Joey wanted to leave. The four walls were closing in on her. She couldn't breathe and wanted out but that wasn't possible. It was always like a sick game of cat and mouse that they played. That was the one thing Stu could not stand, her walking out so he never let her. It was during those times, the worst of times that in her heart she knew she was making a mistake. When it was bad, it was horrid. But when it was good, it was like floating on cloud nine. Why did the good always outweigh the bad?

"I'm not strong enough to do this," she sniffled. "I don't know if I can, Stu. I don't know if I can wait another year. How can you even ask me to do this?"

"Do you love me?"

"Stu…"

He cupped her face in his large hands.

"Answer the question. Do you love me?" he repeated.

"I love you," Joey whispered.

She nodded, fresh tears spilling, shivering as he kissed them away. She dried her eyes melting in his strong arms and cursing herself for being so weak. They stayed that way for a long time until there was a knock on the door. Both froze for a few seconds. No one could know she was tucked away in his room. It was against the rules and Joey and Stu had already broken all the rules.

"Who's there?" Stu called out. "Who is it?"

"It's us. Me and Heath."

The voice belonged to fellow Nexus member Windham Rotunda aka Husky Harris. Stu walked towards the door.

"No. What are you doing? Don't let them in," Joey begged in a panicked whisper.

"Just act normal and let me handle it," he quietly instructed before opening the door.

Heath and Windham invited themselves in.

"Oh man, last night I had way too much beer and…oh Joey, I didn't see you standing there," Heath gave a lopsided grin. "What's up?"

"Hi guys," she cleared her throat nervously.

"Johana was just here to talk about the show tonight. I am giving her a ride to the arena. We were actually just about to come and get you guys, right, Johana?"

"Yeah," she spoke meekly.

If the two men had any suspicions, they didn't let on. They went on about normal business making small talk along the way. Joey and Stu pretended to listen but their minds were millions of miles away from that room. Joey was desperately trying to keepit together, Stu was desperate to keep her in is grasp. She knew what she needed to do but it was much different than what she wanted to do. The heart and the mind were after two different things but in the end it was always the same outcome. She loved him too much. She and Stu were meant to be. Joey had left him once before and the pain had been unbearable. Sometimes it was better to hurt than feel nothing at all.


	8. The Moral Compass

The Nexus was continuing their reign of terror on the WWE. With Wade Barrett as their fearless and diabolical leader, the wreaking of havoc conituned on the Superstars of RAW. John Cena had always been their biggest target but no wrestler was safe. As Randy Orton was on his way out to battle Alex Riley, Wade had ordered the five of his followers to run down the ramp and administer a massive beatdown. They had and Johana, eager to prove herself, had led the charge.

"Let her get in there, boys," Wade smirked, barking from the back courtesy of the Titantron. "Johana, get your hands dirty."

And that she did with a series of feverish punches and kicks. When Orton had been rendered helpless, she straddled him, taunting him as she worked on weakening his shoulder. When it was over, Justin Gabriel pulled her up and pointed to the top rope, huge smile on his face. She nodded and followed his instructions, slowly climbing as the crowd went abolutely nuts. As the Nexus members egged her on, she finally went for it, mimicking a gorgeous and technically sound 450 splash. The men had been grooming her to be a dominating force and part of that was having her copy their signature moves. Just the week before when R Truth had gotten in her way and tried to admonish her for turning on her sister, she had surprised everyone and devastated him with Wasteland. She still felt the heat but the fans were impressed by her athletic ability and that was all that mattered.

But a new week had come and The Viper wanted his revenge. He had interrupted the Heath Slater and Justin Gabriel tag match, costing the champs a victory. An enraged Wade Barrett, Michael McGillicutty, David Otunga, Husky Harris and Johanna El had come down to attack Orton but John Cena, John Morrison, R Truth, and Daniel Bryan had come down to equalize the situation. Despite Johana's strong in ring presence, the Superstars were hesitant about fighting a woman. She capitalized on their fear and went on the offense. When she and Barrett were the only two Nexus members left standing and John Cena came after Barrett, the cowardly Englishman had grabbed the lone female and threw her in front of him as a human shield. Cena balled up his fists as the fans begged him to deliver an AA. He pondered long and hard and though he wanted to, he just couldn't bring himself to do it. Amidst boos, the in ring gentleman walked away as Barrett and El smirked. Turning their backs to exit the ring, neither noticed The Viper coiling. If she was woman enough to give him a 450 splash, she'd have to be woman enough to take an RKO. RAW ended to thunderous applause and Johanna El face down on the mat.

Backstage was a mad house like it always was on Monday nights. Johanna quickly showered in the female locker room and changed into jean shorts, a tank and flip flops. Layla was not at RAW as she had been tapped to appear at Smackdown events all week. The Nexus, minus Stu was headed to the Smackdown taping while Stu's Wade Barrett was scheduled for a solo public appearance at another meant Joey would not be traveling with her sister or boyfriend. It was actually a bit of a relief. She did miss Layla but she was still reeling from her last confrontation with Stu. They were back together, not that they were ever really apart in the first place but she still had mixed feelings. Instead she would be traveling in a rented Chevy Tahoe with PJ, David, Heath, Joe, and Windham. Joey liked it that way. They were good people and she was enjoying getting to know them.

"You alright, Joey?" Randy asked as she was on her way out to the parking lot to meet the guys.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Randy nodded.

"Good work, tonight."

"Yeah," John Cena came up from behind and gave her a hug. "You were awesome, girl. Looking good out there."

"Thanks, guys."

She couldn't help but grin. It felt great to receive praise from two of the top Superstars in the company. Joey practically skipped to the SUV. She loaded her belongings in the back and hopped in next to David. Heath and PJ were sitting directly in front of them while Windham was driving with Joe in the passenger seat. They took off, headed for the five hour drive down the Interstate.

"What are you all giddy about, girl?" Heath teased her.

"Nothing," she kicked her shoes off and rested her painted toes between Heath and PJ. "Just that oh, Orton and Cena think I'm great."

Heath laughed out loud.

"Don't get ahead of yourself. They probably just think you're hot."

"Shut up," Joey kicked him playfully.

"Ow. I'm just saying…they didn't tell me I was great tonight," he pretended to pout.

Joey smiled as she leaned forward and ruffled his red locks.

"Is the One Man Rock Band feeling a little neglected? Do you need Mama to stroke your ego?"

"I could work with that," he shrugged. "But stop kicking me. I don't like feet."

"What is wrong with my feet, Heath? They're cute. They are small. I get regular pedicures and I just painted them. And you better not say they stink, I just got out of the shower."

"I don't care if they were covered with diamonds," he shuddered. "I still don't like feet."

"And that's exactly why his ass doesn't have a girl," David ribbed, leaning forward and patting his friend on the shoulder. "Women are all about the feet, man. You've got to massage them, suck the toes…"

"Dude, seriously I'm gonna fucking puke."

Everyone laughed when Heath's face turned as red as his hair. He was the class clown so to speak but also an easy mark. The guys loved to have their fun with him.

"Tell him, PJ," David chuckled.

"Oh yeah," the South African Sensation joined in. "You've got to make love to the feet as well."

"Y'all motherfuckers are sick," Heath wretched. "And I don't care if I don't have a girlfriend. I am perfectly content to being happily single, sleeping double, and seeing triple. Can I get a high five or an amen?"

He raised his hand as Joey made the sound of crickets chirping.

"Don't look over here, bro. I've got Barbie, Joe is married and we all know Jenn would kick David's ass," PJ chuckled.

"Windham, give me some?" Heath asked the driver.

"Hey," he shrugged in that heavy Southern Florida drawl. "I mean, I'm 23 years old and unattached. I'm living my dream, wrestling in a different city every night seeing the world. You only live once, right? Besides, I'd rather get it all out of my system now before I settle down."

Heath shook his head.

"I'm never settling down, at least not for a while. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I'm trying to enjoy it while I can."

"You can still enjoy it and have a girlfriend," PJ protested.

"Yeah right," Heath rolled his eyes. "How many times a day does Barbie blow up your iPhone with the texts? Come on, man. She's hot and all but damn."

"What? I am in love," he admitted.

"Dude, you need your balls reattached. Seriously," Heath shook his head. "I'm just saying, you could enjoy the activities outside the ring a lot more if you could enjoy the whole scene without Barbie. Hell, it's not even like you can get some on the side. Y'all work for the same company, she's bound to find out."

"That doesn't matter," PJ countered. "I am a one woman guy. I'd never be unfaithful."

"And this fool wouldn't be either," David pointed to Heath. "Heath talks a good game but he's a good dude, he just hasn't found the right woman yet."

"Yeah," Joe spoke up. "There's a lot of temptation out on the road. Some girls want to give it up just because of what you do. They don't care how famous you are or what. Me being a husband and a father now kind of changes my perspective on a lot of things. If I were single, hell yeah I'd probably be right out there with you partying but knowing what I have waiting for me at home…that's the best thing in the world and nothing is worth losing my family for, nothing."

"I know a lot of guys do their dirt on the road," David explained. "Hell, I even saw that at FCW. The WWE is on a much bigger scale. I'm with Joe, I just don't get it. It doesn't make sense. I could never do that to Jennifer. I took vows. That has to mean something. How do these guys live with themsleves? How are you gonna take your scandalous ass out and lay up in a bed with some tramp, get your rocks off for a couple of hours then come home to the one you supposedly love?"

How had the conversation taken such a serious turn? Joey sat quiet and mortified. They didn't mean it and maybe they didn't realize it but they were talking about her. Like it or not, she was the other woman in her situation. It was a little different because Stu actually loved her and that fact had always justified so much before but now as she listened to her friends talk, for the first time she felt like a dirty whore.

"But you can't just blame it on the guys," Heath fiddled with his phone. "It's these girls, too. They know what they're doing, what they're getting into."

"But in the end, you've got to take responsbility for your own actions, man," Windham reminded him. "My dad was gone for most of the time I was growing up. But I remember how great it was when he came home and just how good it was with him and my mom. They are still like that today and I realize how lucky me, my brother and sister are. Dad had his fun on the road but the minute my uncle Barry introduced him to my mom, all of that stopped. I respect that cause if he didn't, I'd have no use for him. Forget the other woman being the homewrecker, he'd be the one wrecking his own home."

Joey shifted nervously in her seat and in the darkness her eyes briefly caught PJ's. Just by the look on his face, she knew that he instantly knew that she had become uncomfortable and why. He didn't know the whole story about her and Stu but he knew enough. He didn't agree with it but it was none of his business, besides, now that he had gotten to know Joey, he really liked her. She was a good person and he actually felt a little sorry for her.

"Alright guys, enough of this conversation. You all are depressing me," he joked to lighten the mood. "We sound like a bunch of gossiping women. Don't we have better things to talk about?"

"You're right," Heath sighed. "I mean, it is what it is, right? You married and attached guys keep being good boys. The rest of us…and Windham, I'm still working on corrupting you, brother, will keep partying and living it up and being good at being bad."

"I've got your back," Windham laughed. "We're rasslers. We beat people up for a living, hook up with wild and fast women and get drunk off our asses. That's the life. We're all gonna go to hell for it but that's the price you pay, I guess."

"What about me?" Joey asked quietly, wrapping her arms around herself as she watched the world pass them by through the window of the truck. "Am I going to hell, too, Windham?"

"Nope," he didn't miss a beat. "You're too beautiful for hell, Joey."

She closed her eyes. Windham was too late. Stu had already ripped her heart out and turned her life upside down. She was so torn by the pain and uncertainty of their turbulent relationship. Joey was already in her own private hell.


	9. Life Imitating Art

The city was Knoxville and it was a routine Saturday night house show. The Nexus members had arrived early at the arena and after a brief meeting with Production, they had decided to convene ringside just a few hours before the show in order to work out last minute details for their match. Everyone was present except for Stu Bennett. It was the beginning of three back to back shows that would culminate in a RAW live broadcast. Joey had been the last person to arrive, flying in solo from Miami Dade International. Rushing, she'd had little time to drop off her belongings at the hotel before hurrying over to the venue via cab. After the house show, she and the guys would return immediately to the hotel. The Nexus was the company's number one heel faction and during and after events, they were mostly required to remain in character at all times. As much as they wanted to, that meant no autograph signings and mingling with the fans after matches. Of course they were gracious to the ones lucky enough to catch them in hotels or out in the general public but it was an existence that pretty much isolated the seven members. After a few hours of much needed sleep, they would split up into two rental cars and drive to the next city.

"Sorry I was late, guys," Joey apologized putting on her knee pads. "Ready to bump?"

"I had an idea," PJ turned to her. "I think it would be good if you're started doing the Hurricanrana. How do you feel about that?"

Joey swallowed hard. Perfecting areial moves had been one of her main career goals. She knew she needed to get more comfortable and technically sound in the air. PJ Lloyd aka Justin Gabriel was just as talented as he was fearless when it came to high flying and risk taking. It had been a dream pairing as she had been anxious to learn and he had been happy to teach. It was a rewarding experience but there was still much trepidation on Joey's end. It was scary on that top rope and though she knew what to do, her biggest problem was hesitating and overthinking it all.

"PJ, I think it would be great but I'll be honest with you, as exciting as it is, as good as it sounds, just the thought makes me really nervous. I mean, I have never done one before. It would take a lot of practice before I became comfortable doing it in front of a live audience. I mean, I don't think I'll be ready to do it tonight."

He nodded.

"I understand. You hit the nail on the head because the name of the game is about you being comfortable," he explained in his soft South African accent. "But I really feel like you can do this. In fact, it'll probably be a lot easier to learn than the 450 splash."

"You think?"

"Yeah," he entered the ring and held the ropes for her. "The basic part of any Hurricanrana is that it is a head scissors take down, plain and simple. You have to be accurate with that before you can even think about performing it in mid air. So let's practice."

"Who can be our guinea pig?" Joey's eyes searched around.

The guys were doing their own thing, all except for Heath who was texting away on his phone.

"Heath, come on, man," PJ got his attention. "Help us out."

The red head readily rolled in the ring under the bottom rope.

"What are we doing?" he asked.

"Joey is going to work on some new moves. You guys ready?"

"Yeah," they both nodded.

PJ rubbed his hands together.

"Okay. Joey, listen carefully. You are going to scissor your legs around Heath's head dragging him into a forced somersault as he is falling to the mat. Now you can hit that on a lot of different angles. Watch."

Joey studied her friends carefully as PJ demonstrated the move from various positions. The crucial element was developing a mutual trust between the two opponents. PJ had to be on point with his connection and grasp while Heath had to know exactly when the move was coming and how to take it. The two men had worked various spots together as both friends and foes in the ring down in FCW so they knew each other's styles well. They repeated the hold over and over again, explaining everything along the way. Soon it was Joey's turn. She sat on the top rope and as he came at her, she was to wrap her legs around him. He charged and she hesitated last minute, blowing the spot. Cursing out loud in frustration, she stepped down as the last member of their crew joined them from the Gorilla entrance. With folded arms, Stu watched intenty.

"Dammitt! I f'd that one up, guys. I'm sorry…"

"You were good, you knew what to do," Heath spoke gently to her. "The thing is, you totally overthought it. I saw you. That'll never work, babe. Yeah, you have to be aware but at the same time, you can't analyze it too much. That will get you every time. Think about it, we'll be in front of a live crowd. There's no time or room to stop and think and adjust. They will pick up on that mistake in a heartbeat. You just have to go for it. I've seen you do this move before so I know you can do it again. You're just getting more familiar with it so you can make it that much more explosive in the air."

She nodded and they attempted the move for the second time. Heath charged and Joey overcorrected, messing up Heath's timed fall. He hit the ground awkwardly, wincing as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Oh my God!" Joey yelled as she and PJ ran to him. "Are you okay?"

Heath stood and shook it off.

"It's okay. The timing was way off and I was alredy in and you tried to go for it. We have to work on being in sync."

Joey shook her head.

"No way. I'm done for tonight, guys."

"Why?"

"Why? I keep messing up on something that I know how to do already and I could have really hurt you. God forbid, I could have broken your neck. This is too much…"

Heath walked over and put a sympathetic hand over her shoulder.

"I'm fine."

"But…"

"The only way you're going to get it is to keep practicing."

"PJ. Heath…"

"Joey, what did we say about trust? It's important. Come on, I know you can do this. You're a pro, you've worked a million spots in the ring. You and your sister were the first ever female tag champs. That says a lot. Now I know you can do this. I believe in you and I trust you so let's go."

Joey was so worked up, she was shaking. It took a minute or two to muster her courage but she finally got it together. Both PJ and Heath were so patient and they really wanted to see her succeed. It meant a lot. She tried again and again and again. Each move was more improved than the one before it. They kept going and after several minutes and several tries, they had the spot down pat, looking smooth and easy. Satisfied with the lesson, Joey and Heath continued to try out different moves. In the end, she bounced off the ropes for the momentum she needed to hit him with a beautiful flying cross body as he stood ringside. He caught her perfectly as they tumbled backwards to the mat.

Stu frowned as he saw the huge grin on her face. Joey was having way too much fun. She giggled and tugged at her lip as she sat looking down at Heath. He sat up, stupid, goofy looking lopsided grin on his face. God, he was an idiot, Stu thought. Just as he sat up on his elbows and whispered something in her ear making her laugh and high five him, the Englishman made his presence known. He loudly cleared his throat and marched to the ring with a purpose Wade Barrett style.

"Enough of this horseplay. We do have a match to get ready for tonight, gentlemen and lady."

Joey couldn't contain her smile. She hadn't seen him in a few days and she was happy that he was now standing in front of her. She had to remind herself not to run and jump in his arms and give him a big kiss even though that was exactly what she wanted to do.

"Stu, we were just working on some stuff with Joey," PJ took a sip of water. "I thought it would be a good idea if she started hitting the Hurricanrana so we were working on some basic takedowns. She did really good."

Stu scoffed.

"Been there, done that. That was fresh oh say ten years ago when Lita and the Hardy Boyz made the move famous. It's time to move on, keep the wrestling a little more current, don't you think?"

The question was obviously rhetorical.

"I…I thought it was a good idea," Joey used the hem of her shirt to wipe the sweat from her brow. "I mean, if you think we should do something else…"

Stu's head turned slowly and deliberately to face her. The glare on his face was of pure disdain and aggrevation. The other five men said nothing. Their fearless leader was in one of his moods and that couldn't mean good news for anybody.

"What did you say?"

Joey recognized his tone and demeanor immediately. She had seen it before.

"Nothing," she shifted uncomfortably. "PJ had some good ideas and we were just playing around with some stuff…"

"Playing around, you say? Well, Johana it is all fine and well that you and your little playmates here have the time to mess around with horseplay but in case you didn't know, we are performing live in a few hours and we need to work on that match."

"I'm sorry. I…"

"Never mind your apologies. We have work to do. Heath and PJ, you two are taking on The Hart Dynasty. Nexus is going over of course but I think it would be good if you two went down to the ring by yourselves. Work out the spots and then have Harry go for the Sharpshooter. That will be the cue for all of you to go to the ring and run inteference. Attack TJ and Harry. Johana, Nattie will not be at ringside so I want you to watch Windham finish TJ with a devastating Running Senton and you mimick the move. Is everyone on the same page?"

"Yeah," came the mumurs.

With that he went to the side of the ring to retrieve something from his bag. David shook his head in disgust.

"That guy can be such a tool sometimes."

"It's weird," Windham observed. "How come he gets to make all the spots for the matches? I just don't get that guy sometimes. It's sort of like he believes this is The Nexus in real life. He's the one making the decisions for everyone, barking orders."

"Or so he thinks," David seethed.

"It's not all bad," Joey chimed in. "Sure, he gets a little bossy sometimes but he has really great ideas and the way he puts them together for a match…it's brilliant. He really makes the whole thing work."

She spoke with pure adoration in her eyes and voice and the other guys just looked at each other.

"I think we should find Harry and TJ," Heath finally said to PJ who nodded in agreement.

The group dispersed and Joey inched her way over to her boyfriend.

"I waited for you at the airport," she began.

He refused to meet her gaze.

"You shouldn't have."

"I just wanted to see you. The flight you told me you were going to be on…um, you weren't on it."

"Spying on me again, I see?"

"No. I…"

"Johana, I really don't have time for your games this evening. There is work to do…work, you do know what that is, don't you? If you want to be a part of this group, you need to learn more of what it is to pull your own weight and less of what it is to be a distraction."

She opened her mouth to speak in protest but it was of no use. He simply walked away and instantly she knew she had done something to upset him. When that happened, he became more like his on air persona and less like the loving, attentive gentleman he was towards her behind closed doors. Joey sighed. It was just an act. He had an image to protect. Besides, he was a born leader and the other guys needed him. He was the boss oncsreen and off. Their real lives mimicked their reel lives for a reason but she understood it. She understood Stu. He was one of the most intelligent, powerful and successful men she had ever met. He commanded attention and that was one of the things that had drawn her to him. He was making his mark, securing his place for a future spot in the Hall of Fame. With him by her side, things could only get better. It would just take a little bit of time.


	10. Through The Grapevine

Joey leaned against the wall enjoying a Diet Coke talking to her sister, Layla. The RAW house show the night before the live televised Monday night broadcast was just winding down. Joey had already had a match against Eve Torres and won as Michael McGillicutty and Husky Harris had accompanied her to the ring on behalf of Nexus. Later on in the evening she had returned the favor to her male counterparts. Now with the show wrapping up, it was time for everyone to gather their belongings, pack up the rental cars and start heading out to the next city. With the new storyline, Joey had been spending most of her time on the road with Joe, PJ, Stu, David, Heath, and Windham. Layla had been doing most of her work on Smackdown anyway. The times when they were working RAW brand shows together, they flew from Miami to the city where the show was and basically traveled separately after that. Missing their sister time, the two women had prepared to drive to the next destination alone, just the two of them.

"Joey, I have been looking all over for you."

She smiled and turned around when she saw who it was.

"Heath. Hey. What's up?"

The red head grinned.

"Hey Laylam" he acknowledged the other woman. "Joey, you riding with us tonight?"

"Nah," she shook her head. "Gonna drive with my Sissy but I'll text you in the morning so we can all get together at the gym. Sound good?"

"Sounds good but I almost forgot. Steph is looking for you."

"Stephanie?" Joey asked confused. "McMahon?"

"The one and only."

"I didn't even know she was here but okay. Thanks."

She said her goodbyes to him before turning to Layla.

"Everything okay, Joe?"

Joey nodded.

"I guess so. Look, I'm gonna go see what she wants. I'll meet up with you at the car in like 20 minutes. My stuff is already packed up."

Layla agreed as Joey made her way to where she knew where the brasses had set up shop in the arena. After asking security, she was directed to a large office where the WWE's Vice President of Creative Development and Operations had been housed for most of the show. Joey knocked twice and waited to be invited in.

"Who is it?" came the question on the other side of the door.

"Joey El."

"Come in, please."

Joey recognized Stephanie's voice. She did not sound happy. Joey took a deep breath before opening the door. Stephanie sat behind a desk, terse look on her face, hands interlocked. Joey walked towards the seat directly in front of her but stopped and gasped when she saw that Stu was already there.

"Hi. Um, what, what is this all about?" Joey nervously stammered.

"Have a seat," Stephanie directed her.

Joey took a seat next to Stu who refused to meet her curious gaze.

"I…"

"Save it," Stephanie stopped her. "I am sure you are wondering what this is about and I assure you I did call this meeting for an important purpose. I have already spoken to Stu and now I would like to address my same concerns with you, Joey."

Joey cleared her throat.

"What concerns?"

"As a manager here and in any business, communication is probably the single most important aspect of the relationship between supervisor and subordinate. Would you not agree?"

"Yeah. I guess…"

"Paul tells me all the time at home that sometimes I don't do a good job of communicating my true feelings, what I am trying to say. If that is the case, I would like to give you, both of you the benefit of the doubt."

"I don't get it," Joey answered.

"In my two meetings with you regarding your personal relationship with Mr. Bennett here, was I not clear? I mean, was there any misunderstanding?"

"No, I…"

"Because I am starting to feel like there was. Let me get straight to the point. Yesterday, I received unfortunate news. I received an anonymous tip that you two rekindled your romantic relationship. Is that true?"

Joey sat stunned. It was so out of the blue. A million thoughts raced through her mind. How had they been found out? When? Who had told?

"I…I mean, no, of course that isn't true."

She had been unsure of what to say. Obviously Stephanie had interrogated Stu first. Joey had had no idea what he had said. If he had broken down and confessed, it would make her out to be a liar. If he had denied it as well, they were good. It was their word against someone else's, a someone who didn't even have the guts to reveal their identity when they came forward. But the problem was, she hadn't known what he had said and what she should say. But judging by the huge breath he had exhaled and the look of sheer relief etched across his face when she said no, Joey knew she had done the right thing. It may not have been the honest thing but it was the one thing needed to save both their asses.

"It's funny, he said the same thing," Stephanie smirked, pointing over to Stu. "Why don't believe either of you?"

"I…"

"Just stop it, Joey. Really. Save it. I am angry right now, damned angry. Now you two are popular Superstars who have generated a lot of interest and profit for this company but you both have to answer to a higher power and in that case it is me whether you like it or not. When I give a direct order, I do not like to be ignored. Do you know what else I don't like? I really, really don't like being lied to and that is exactly what I think is happening here in this situation."

Stu finally spoke up.

"Stephanie, I already told you. Whatever you heard was a misunderstanding or a lie of some sort. I speak for Johana when I say that we both heard you loud and clear the last time."

"Stu…"

"With all due respect ma'am, the indisrection that occurred bewtween Ms. El and myself was a grave mistake, one I have sincerely regretted making. It was a long time ago and I have since learned and corrected the error of my ways. I love my wife and have been working on being a faithful and dutiful mate. As for Johana here, she is a lovely and talented woman and I have immensely enjoyed working with her in the new storyline but I assure you, it is nothing more than that…work. We are business partners and casual acquaintances and that is where it ends. Isn't that correct, Johana?"

He turned to her and those threatneing blue eyes shot her a warning glare that could have broken through glass.

"That's right. Stu is tellingthe truth, Stephanie," Joey finally spoke.

She was trying to make it sound convincing but it was more than that. She knew that they both had to deny their continued affair but it more than unnerved her that her beloved had basically sat right beside her and been a little too convincing. He had denoucned his feelings for her and even worse, proclaimed love for his wife. Joey was beside herself. She was distraught, disgusted and angry. When the two were finally alone, she made a mental note to tear him a new one. Rarely did she stand up to him or berate him but this time he had plain gone too far.

"Well as nice as it is to see that you two have your story straight, I still don't believe either one of you."

"Stephanie, people talk and gossip around here," Joey tried meekly. "We can't stop that and all this crap about Stu and me being back together is just that, stupid gossip."

Stephanie was unphased.

"What did I tell you two would happen if you rekindled your relationship again? Stu?"

"Suspension without pay or termination."

"That's right. And did you think I was kidding around? Joey?"

"No ma'am," she hung her head.

"I'll be honest with you both. I haven't been this mad in a long time. I would like nothing more than to fire both your asses on the spot but unfortunately, I can't do that right now. Truthfully I wanted to let you go tonight but my father vetoed that decision because we have no proof and also this new female member to Nexus is really going over with the fans. My hands are tied. All I have is an anonymous phone tip and zero concrete proof but let me tell you something, I smell a rat here. I am on to you two and I am fully confident that you are both foolish and arrogant enough to think that you are both smarter than everyone else and can continue your seedy affair without being caught. Well, that's not going to happen. I am going to sit back, let you walk out of this office with enough rope to hang ourselves and I know you will. I will be watching you like a hawk. Trust me, there will be eyes and ears everywhere. I will catch you and when I do, you both will be fired on the spot and personally banned permanently from the WWE."

"Stephanie…"

"Nothing more. I don't want to hear it now. Get out. Both of you."

Without further word, they left headed in separate directions. Joey grabbed her bags and met Layla as promised at the rental car. The sisters loaded up and then got on the road with Layla driving as a shaken Joey stared absently out the window.

"Do you want to tell me what happened in there?" Layla asked after about an hour or so of silence.

"Nothing."

"Joe…"

Joey rolled her eyes.

"Fine. You're only gonna find out anyway," she grumbled. "Somebody, some anonymous coward called Stephanie and claimed that Stu and I were back together."

Layla groaned.

"Oh no, Joey. I don't know if I'm more upset about the call or what the call was about. Please tell me, no promise me that it isn't true."

Joey loved her sister and hated lying to her but in a sitution like this, honesty was simply not an option.

"Of course it isn't true. I already told you, Lay. It's just a stupid rumor and some idiot is trying to cause trouble, that's all."

"Any idea who it is?"

"No."

"But why would someone…"

"Gosh, Lay, I don't know, okay?" Joey got defensive.

"Don't get an attitude with me. This is the mess you created, Joe, you and Stu."

"What mess?"

"I told you not to get involved with a married man in the first place. I told you it, he was bad news. Ever since Stu Bennett came to the WWE, that dreadful man has been nothing but trouble and a negative influence on you."

"Dammitt, Layla…"

"He is going to cost you everything, all your dreams, everything you worked so hard for."

"No he isn't and stop talking about him like you know him."

"And you're defending him, why? Joey, please. I am begging you…leave that guy alone."

"For the billionth time, I already have."

"No, I mean totally. Don't even communicate with him outside the storyline and if at all possible try to get out of it as soon as you can."

"Okay, this Nexus story is the best thing to happen to my career and of course there will be times when Stu and I have to talk. And we will too so everybody else needs to quit being selfish and just mind their own business."

"Joe…"

"Shut up, Lay. I mean it. When it comes down to it, you're just jealous."

Layla looked shocked and hurt for a moment.

"Excuse me? You really think that?"

"No, I know that," Joey spat.

"You selfish,entitled, immature little spoiled brat, you. I am not jealous. I love you, Joey and I am proud of you. I want good things to happen in your career but honestly, if you don't wisen up, there will be nothing left to be jealous of because Stephanie is going to fire your ass."

"And you'd love that, wouldn't you? You'd rub it in my face and say I told you so."

"Joey, you are seriously out of control right now."

"And you're seriously being a bitch."

"What?"

"That's it. Pull over at a gas station at the next exit and let me out. The guys are behind me, I'll have them pick me up and don't worry, it's just Heath and David riding together."

"Joey…"

"I'm serious."

"Fine," Layla threw up her hands in exasperation. "If that's what you want, my pleasure."

Layla drove one mile to the next well lit, busy gas station and dropped her sister off who had already texted Heath and told him where to come get her. Watching her sister leave, Joey was consumed with anger. She was angry with Layla and with Stephanie and even with Stu. She was also angry with Mr. or Ms. Anonymous. The nerve of people! How dare they? Why couldn't everyone just leave them, her alone? And why did love have to be so damned complicated? Standing in a dirty parking lot in the middle of the night angry and sulking, Joey El had never felt so alone in all her young life.


	11. Indecent Proposal

Joey El stirred slightly in her sleep. It had been quite a restless and fitful night and sleep had not come well. She was fresh off the argument with her sister. The verbal atlercation had culminated with the younger girl getting out of her sister's car at some radom gas station. As promised, two of her colleagues had picked her up and driven her to their next destination. Joey had spent the night sullen and angry. Layla had been way out of line and truth be told, Joey was tired of being treated like a child. She was also tired of defending herself. That anger had carried over into the next day and well into the night after the show when Joey had received a text message from Stu. _Come to my room. 317. _That was all he had said. No please, no further explanation, no nothing. Typical Stu. It was a demand plain and simple and after holding out all of ten minutes, Joey had trudged down one floor and after making sure no one was watching, she knocked on his door. He wore black slacks and nothing else. He was shirtless and barefoot, his large frame towering over her as he quickly ushered her into the room with the double beds.

"What do you want, Stu?" she folded her arms.

He smirked at her.

"Now that's no way to greet a friend," he pretended to chastise her. "Wherever are your manners."

"I'm not in the mood for your lame jokes. Whatever it is, make it quick."

He raised an eyebrow.

"I see I am receiving the brunt of your anger reserved for your miserble troll of a sister."

"Don't bring Layla into this, please."

"Why not? She is the reason you're so upset. I heard about your little quarrel and her kicking you out of the car."

"She did not kick me out of the car. God, the backstage gossip mill loves to turn and twist things around. Didn't Heath and David tell you the truth?"

Stu frowned.

"What do Heath and David have to do with any of this?" he demanded.

"Nothing, it's just that they are the ones who gave me a ride. I guess you didn't know. Look…"

His jaw visibly tightened.

"I thought I made my position clear, Johana."

"And what position is that?" she defiantly questioned.

"I did not authorize such contact between you and Mr. Otunga and Mr. Miller."

"Authorize?" Joey laughed out loud. "Are you kidding right now?"

"Look at my face. Do I appear to be in a joking mood?"

"So you didn't authorize it, sort of like I didn't authorize this newly rediscovered love for your wife," she spat.

"What on earth are you rambling on about?"

"Um, did you forget the meeting with Stephanie? You know the one where you made me out to be some forgotten whore while you sang the praises of the missus."

"Is that what you're going on and on about?" he scoffed. "My goodness, Johana. Grow up for God's sake. Were you not in that same meeting with me? Stephanie was out for blood. She wanted both our bloody heads on a platter. Of course I had to deny our relationship. You sat there and did the same thing."

"Yeah but you were just a little more convincing."

"I am not going to have this argument with you and I refuse to deal with you when you're being a spoiled and impossible brat. Our time is limited and we must be more careful."

"I'm tired of this," Joey shook her head. "I'm tired of you. It's too much."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I want out. We're done, Stu."

She couldn't bear to look him in the eye so she quickly turned her back. Before she could reach the door his large hand was keeping it shut while the other spun her around.

"You're upset. You're saying things you don't mean," he spoke quietly.

"I do too mean it and you know it's for the best. What we're doing is no good. It causes too many problems and we're both gonna end up fired. It's better if we end it right now."

"Is it?" he leaned closer.

"Stu, please…"

"Look me in the eye," he beckoned. "Johana, if you can honestly say that you don't love me anymore, I will let you go. I will allow you to walk out of this room and my life forever."

"Stu…"

"Say it," he practically dared her. "Tell me you don't love me."

Tears filled her eyes.

"I can't do that," she whispered. "Because I do. Stu, I do love you and you know that."

"I feel the same way, my dear. Listen, I know this is difficult but we must be strong and hang in there. So many people want to come between us…Jacqueline, Stephanie, Layla…we can't let them."

He leaned down and kissed her lips and that was all it took. Once again she was putty in his hands. He kissed her with passion and conviction, his lips roaming on every inch of her tender exposed skin. Joey moaned, melting at his touch, allowing herself to give in as he led her back in the room towards his bed, where he picked her up and gently placed her down.

"What about…" she motioned to the other bed.

"Don't worry about him, love. He won't be back tonight."

And as she felt his lips on her neck, she forgot about everyone and everything. His hands quickly removed her clothing and his as well. When there was no barrier between them, he laid her down, his lips capturing hers as he slid himself inside of her. They were a perfect fit, throwing logic and caution to the wind as they made love all night. Giving in to passion and each other, all that mattered was that moment, that night. They had neglected to think about what the morning would bring. They had failed to remember that they had been scheduled for a media appearance to discuss the dominance of the Nexus on a couple of local radio shows. Neither had bothered to set an alarm clock and as they drifted off, the next sound they heard was of the door being opened. Joey gasped and sat up. It was morning already. Instinct told her to run but there was nowhere to hide. They were caught, busted and all she could do was cover her bare chest with the thin sheets. A few seconds later, a yawning Heath Miller walked in.

"Damn, I drank too much. Jager is a fucking powerful shot. I'm a country boy too but I should have known better than to mess with Windham's big ass. That dude is a monster."

He stopped mid sentence as he saw a horrified Stu and an embarrassed Joey still naked in bed.

"Oh my God, oh my God…" Joey pulled the covers over her head.

"Whoa…"

"What are you doing back here?" Stu growled.

"This is my room too, man. Sorry. You should have texted me if you were going to have company or put a sock on the door or something…"

"This is not what it looks like…" Stu cleared his throat.

Heath looked around.

"Look, I'm not stupid but whatever is going on here is obviously none of my business. I'll just get out of your way…"

Stu stood and grabbed the red head forcefully by the arm.

"You asbolutely cannot repeat what you saw in this room."

Heath jerked away.

"Okay, okay. I get you. Look, I already said it's none of my business. I won't say anything to anybody. Besides, I thought you'd be gone by now. I thought that whole radio interview thing started like an hour ago."

Stu and Joey's eyes met and they both cursed out loud. They checked the clock. Sure enough it was after ten. The media day had been scheduled to begin at nine sharp and the limo was to pick them up at eight. They were late, conspicuously late.

"This is not happening," Stu grumbled, quickly putting on his pants, shirt, shoes and socks. "This is bloody ridiculous!"

"What are we gonna do?" Joey whimpered, still in bed.

"You can start by getting you arse out of that bed and putting some clothes on."

"We are going to be in so much trouble," she groaned as she reached for her underwear.

"Would you have some decency or are you trying to give your chauffer here a peep show?"

"Stu!"

Heath shook his head.

"Okay, it is way too early for this and I am way too hungover. You guys are crazy. I'm gonna go get some coffee."

Stu reached for his wallet.

"Get dressed, Johana and get upstairs. Now!"

With that, he opened the door and was stopped dead in his tracks as he found himself staring down at the familiar face of Chad Davis. He was one of the interns who had been assigned specifically to assist the McMahon's when they were on the road. Eager to make a name for himself, the young man showed no fear. When word had spread of the double no show, Stephanie McMahon Levsque had immediately put Chad on the job. If there was a smoking gun, she knew he would find it.

"Well, well, well," he grinned. "Mr. Bennett. Fancy seeing you here at this time considering you're supposed to be doing media right now."

"I apologize. I…"

Chad let himself in the room and grinned when he saw Joey still in bed and half dressed.

"If this isn't my lucky day…and your unlucky one. Wait until Mrs. Levesque hears this. Oh my, she is going to love this one."

He was a nerd with spiked blonde hair, skinny jeans, and Buddy Holly glasses. Stu had never wanted to pummel someone so bad in his whole life.

"Young man, this is not what it looks like…"

"Really? You and Ms. El late for your public appearance? Her naked in your bed after you two have been ordered to stay away from each other personally? I'm afraid you have been caught red handed.

"No, we haven't," Stu managed to keep his cool. "That's not my bed."

"And just whose is it?" Chad folded his arms.

"His," Stu turned to his roommate. "It's Heath's bed. Listen, I wasn't going to say anything because it isn't my place but Ms. El spent the night here but it was with him, not me."

Chad was not convinced.

"And where were you?"

"I did the gentlemanly thing and gave them their privacy. I wondered around, here and there. I ended up falling asleep in the back lobby hence me missing the engagement. I came up here and they were still here."

Chad's face grew red.

"Is this true?" he asked Joey.

Before she could answer, Heath did.

"Yeah…it, it's true. Look, Joey and I weren't ready to go public or anything so it was sort of a secret."

"Very well," Chad huffed. "Get dressed. You can still make it to your second appearance but Mrs. Levesque is not pleased about this morning. Expect to be formally reprimanded, both of you."

With that, he slammed the door and Joey breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"Oh. My. God. That was so close."

"Too close," Stu tried to keep his composure. "Stephanie sent that little bastard over here with the intention of catching us in the act."

"Thank you," Joey turned to Heath. "You might not know it but you just saved my ass and both our jobs."

"Whatever is going on, you two need to figure it out…fast," Heath warned them.

"I just hope he bought it," Joey closed her eyes.

"There is only on way to ensure that," Stu spoke up.

"What's that?"

"We have to keep it going. Johana and Heath, everyone has to think you two are a couple."

"No way, man," Heath immediately shook his head.

"Heath…"

"I did you two a one time favor because I didn't want to see anyone get in trouble but the favors stop here. I can't go around pretending to be Joey's boyfriend."

"Why not?"

"Because! For starters, no one would believe it. And it would just be weird."

"You have no choice," Stu said forcefully.

"Yes, I do. Look, man, you get away with a lot and I know you think you're the boss of everybody but this is going way too far. There is no way I'm gonna let you talk me into this."

"Heath, let me level with you. Johana and I have been secretly seeing each other…"

"No shit, Sherlock."

Stu clenched his fists.

"It is a private matter between the two of us but if the relationship is discovered, we will be fired."

"And I'm sorry for you, for both of you but maybe you should have thought about that before you kept screwing around."

"You're right," Stu said coolly. "But now we are in a predictament of sorts. Stephanie is on to us. We need you, Heath. Yes, it is a farce but it can work if you agree to it and make it look real."

"No. And you can't make me do it, not this and not this time."

"You're right. But you would be saving Johana's job and mine…and yours."

"Mine? What?"

"Think about it. If Johana and I are fired, that would be the end of the Nexus. How would they successfully salvage the storyline so quickly? And what would happen to the rest of you? Miscarders until your characters are written off into obscurity? Jobbing permanently on Superstars? Tell me, Heath is this what you've worked so hard for?"

Heath was starting to squirm.

"Look, man…"

"You know I'm right. So if you listen to me, everybody wins."

"And if I don't?"

"Then it's a good thing you kept your apartment in Tampa because you will be FCW bound again, I'm quite sure of it."

"Dammitt!"

Stu folded his arms.

"The choice is yours, lad. What is it going to be?"

Heath looked over at Joey who had been too terrified and stunned to speak.

"How long?" he asked after a few minutes of pondering.

Stu grinned, quite satisified with himself.

"Not long, just until this all blows over. It's simple. You two are an item and you've been secretly sleeping together for quite some time but you were shy about telling anyone, just like you said. It will be perfect."

Perfect? Heath looked to Joey to Stu back to Joey. He plopped down on the bed. This plan seemed anything but perfect. What the hell had he just gotten himself into?


	12. Coming Out

The World Wrestling Entertainment corporation was known for its affiliation with the Make A Wish Foundation, an organization that granted wishes to children with life threatening illnesses. The company and its employees took the partnership seriously and when the folks at Make A Wish threw a party in New York City in honor of the WWE and all the good work the wrestlers had done, Vince McMahon had required mandatory attendance for every single employee. The celebration, which included a five course meal and open bar, was held at an upscale art gallery located in the SoHo district. It was also open to family and friends of the WWE employees. For Joey El, the night would be particularly nerve racking. It would be her coming out party as Heath Miller's girlfriend, only she wasn't Heath's girlfriend. She was Stu Bennett's girlfriend although it would be out of the question for the two to attend any public work related function. Besides the fact that the powers that be had banned all personal contact between the two, Stu was sure to have another date that evening…his wife, Jackie.

Joey checked her reflection in the mirror for the tenth time. More than ever, she wanted to look beautiful that night. She had to look extra special. Every brown hair was in place and her make up was absolutlely flawless. Her svelte body had been poured into a one shoulder strapped brown mini number that accentuated every curve. Sighing nervously, she applied one last coat of gloss over her lipstick as there was a knock at the door. Looking through the peep hole, she saw that it was her sister. Joey opened the door as Layla entered in a simple strapless knee length fitted black dress.

"Sissy, you look beautiful," Joey smiled.

"Joe, what the hell is going on with you?" the older woman immediately demanded.

Joey frowned.

"Well hello to you too. Hi Joey, how are you? You look nice tonight, I really like your dress. How was your day?"

Layla rolled her eyes.

"Sorry. Hello Joey, how are you? You look nice tonight, I really like your dress. How was your day?"

"I'm fine. Thank you, thank you. My day was good, thanks for asking."

"Good," Layla huffed. "Now what the hell is going on?"

"What are you talking about?"

"It's all over the locker room, thanks to Chad. Everyone knows that he busted you with Stu and then you guys claimed that it is really you and Heath that are together."

Joey took a deep breath. She had been debating long and hard whether or not to tell her sister the truth. She loved Layla and she trusted her. The two women were the best of friends but in recent months the relationship had become strained. Still Joey wanted to be honest but at the last minute, the truth was the last thing that came out of her mouth.

"That is what happened and it's true."

"What?"

"Everybody was so busy assuming that Stu and I were back together but it wasn't so. In the meantime, Heath and I started spending a lot of time together, traveling and training. He's a really cool guy. He…he's pretty special. Things started to happen."

"Oh Joey, for the love of God! You can't be serious."

"I am. We didn't plan on it or anything."

"And why didn't you tell me before now?" Layla put her hands on her hips.

Joey shrugged.

"Because I knew you would react like this…and besides, I was embarrassed. I didn't want to get the reputation as that Diva that falls for every guy in the locker room."

Layla bit her lip, still trying to wrap her head around the situation.

"It just doesn't make sense…"

"Why not? Heath is a good looking guy."

"He is but…"

"And he's nice and very funny."

"I don't know much about him but he does seem to have a good personality."

"And we're together all the time because of the new storyline."

"I know but I've never really heard you talk about him or seen you guys together one on one."

"What about the time you and I had the argument in the car and I had you drop me off at that gas station? Who picked me up?"

"Heath."

"Okay then."

"It just still seems weird or at least unexpected."

"Maybe so but get used to it, Sis. It is what it is. Heath and I are together and we're happy. We weren't ready to out the relationship yet but Chad decided to out it for us and we're fine with that. We're dealing with it."

"Are you sure, Joe? Are you sure you're happy?"

Joey swallowed hard. She hated being so deceitful.

"I am happy."

"And Heath is a good guy? He treats you well?"

"The best."

"You're my little sister and I love you. If you say this is the situation, then I will have to take your word for it but I have to point out that you and Heath have a lot of skeptics out there. I mean, are you sure that he just isn't a cover for you and Stu?"

Joey put her best face forward.

"Of course not, Lay. That's silly. Why would you say something like that?"

Before Layla could answer, there was another knock at the door. Joey answered and in walked Heath wearing a suit and tie.

"Dude, cuff links are freaking retarded," he muttered. "Listen, are you sure about…"

"Honey, it's so good to see you," Joey quickly silenced him with a hug and a discreet pinch to the side.

"It is? Ouch…oh yeah, it is," he cleared his throat as he noticed for the first time Layla's presence. "Hi babe. Hey Layla."

Layla nodded.

"It's good to see you again, Heath. I, um, I was just leaving but I guess I'll see you at the party later tonight."

"For sure."

"I…forgive me. I guess I'm just really shocked that you and my sister are dating. She never mentioned you and uh…it's quite a surprise to say the least."

"Yeah," Heath gave her a lopsided grin as he pulled Joey in close. "It was uh…unplanned but it's great. Isn't that right, Bunchkins?"

Joey forced a smile as Layla continued to look confused. She told the couple good bye and promised to see them later at the party. Relief took over as soon as the door closed.

"Bunchkins?" Joey repeated in disbelief.

"What? Too much?"

"Just a little," Joey rolled her eyes. "Oh my God. Heath…this is too much. It's crazy. We can't do this. How are we supposed to do this?"

He shrugged his shoulders as he continued messing with his cuff links.

"You tell me. This was your plan."

"No, this was Stu's plan. Remind me to kill him later."

"Look, I don't know all the gory details and I really don't want to. Whatever is going on between you and Stu is none of my business but you two got me involved in this mess. If the truth comes out now, it's gonna be bad…for everybody. Hell, Stephanie is already pissed at you and Stu. If she finds out I'm in on this, my ass is grass too, not to mention you and Stu getting fired would be the end of the Nexus. It's just a mess right now. Until everything gets figured out, we just have to go with this and keep up the act. Believe me, I'm not happy about it either…"

"Well gee, thanks."

"That's not what I meant but you know what I'm saying, Joey."

She sighed. She did know what he meant. With a heavy heart and not another word, she followed him downstairs to the car that would take them to the Make A Wish Event. They were among some of the last to arrive and the minute the couple walked through the door, all eyes fell upon them. It seemed like the earth stopped turning for a moment as true to character, she held onto Heath's hand for dear life.

"Everyone's staring," she said through pursed lips that were contorted into a fake smile for the evening.

"It's okay," Heath tried to reassure her as they migrated to a sea of familiar faces.

Even their fellow Nexus members were at a loss for words.

"I like your dress, Joey," Barbie Blank aka Kelly Kelly smiled politely.

"Thank you," Joey nodded. "Yours is pretty, too."

Her boyfriend, PJ, pulled up two chairs and motioned for them to have a seat. Pre dinner cocktails flowed freely as the small group of wrestlers tried to ignore the pink elephant in the room. There was a bond between the six men and one woman that ran deep and was unspoken. In their heads and hearts they all knew something wasn't right. Joey and Heath had never been more than just friends. The two had never displayed a romantic interest in one another and just the night before they had gone public with their "romance", Heath had been seen out in a local club grinding on and drinking with several female patrons. It was impossible to believe there was a hint of truth to the story or the new relationship but based on the awkwardness that incurred when Stu was around, it was safe to say that it was just best to keep quiet about it all.

Looking across the room was the unmistakable scowl of Stephanie McMahon Levesque. She had been eying the WWE's newest power couple ever since their dramatic arrrival. Both Heath and Joey were well aware that they had the attention of the room on them whether they wanted it or not. Stephanie was already suspicious and their jobs were on the line. They couldn't just say it was real, they had to make it look real. Heath draped an arm around his date and the two made sure to smile at each other and let their fingertips bruh against each other ever so often. Just when they thought that it couldn't get any more uncomfortable, in walked the latest arrivals to the gala. It was Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Bennett.

"You alright?" Heath leaned in, whispering.

"Fine," Joey answered curtly.

"You know, if we're gonna make this look real, it would help if you didn't freak out everty time Stu walked into a room."

"I am not freaking out," Joey whispered back coolly. "I am calm and collected."

"You're also barely breathing," he noted.

But she was not paying attention. All that was on her mind was the love of her life and her heated rival. Joey had long suspected that Jackie knew who she was but she had never cared before. If the pretty brunette did know about her husband's mistress sitting only a few feet away, she did not let on. Instead she smiled politely at everyone and took a seat, her left arm around her husband's chiseled waist as her diamond wedding band glistened. The drinks continued to flow as did the conversation which had finally picked up again. Everyone was talkative with the exception of Joey. She couldn't stop staring at Stu and Jackie. They looked so happy and it made her blood boil. She wanted to scream and cry all at the same time. It was all so unfair. It was unfair that she couldn't be with the man she loved. It was unfair that she was forced to pretend to love someone else. And it was especially unfair that she was forced to sit at a table and watch her boyfriend ogle his wife. Shortly after Vince McMahon accepted the award from the Make A Wish Foundation, Joey quietly excused herself. Only Heath had noticed how uncomfortable she was and when she had left, he could have sworn he saw tears in her eyes. Feeling bad for her, he stood to follow and make sure she was okay. By the time he got into the hallway, Joey was nowhere to be found. But someone else was.

"Heath," Stu smirked.

Heath tried to keep his cool. As the popularity of the Nexus had grown, Stu Bennett had begun to adopt the personality of Wade Barrett. Heath, laid back and easygoing had begun to grow tired of their fearless leader anyway. Now with the new developing events, his disdain for Bennett had started to grow even more.

"What do you want, man?"

"Where's Johanna?"

"What do you care?"

"What do you?" Stu laughed out loud. "Taking the little game of make believe a little far, don't you think?"

"Listen…"

"No, you listen. You started off doing me a favor and I believe that I was more than grateful to you for that. But the bottom line is, this thing with Johanna is nothing more than a farce to keep that pesky broad, Stephanie off of our cases. Pretty soon this will all blow over and we can end this ridiculous little charade."

"Until then?"

"Until then, keep doing what you're doing. Profess your undying love. Make plenty of public appearances. Do whatever you have to do to keep this real for everyone but," and he stopped and roughly grabbed Heath's arm for emphasis. "Don't ever touch her. Do I make myself clear? No matter what happens, you are never ever to touch her. Do you understand?"

Heath jerked away and the sinister smirk returned to Stu's face as he straightened his tie and returned to the party and his wife. Heath looked around. There was still no sign of Joey. Cursing out loud, he shook his head. How in the world had he ever gotten himself into such a mess?


	13. Getting To Know You

Heath sighed as he somehow managed to stuff his six foot two inch, 230 pound frame into the front passenger seat of the rented economy car. He cursed out loud as he accidentally hit his head on the door frame.

"You ready to go?" Joey asked with a smile as she cranked up the engine.

"Yeah," he muttered, still rubbing his head. "I am very ready to get this over with. How far is it anyway?"

"It's about 300 miles from Dayton to Chicago, I think, so around four and a half, maybe five hours depending on traffic."

"Great," Heath mumbled. "Just perfect."

He had been in a foul mood all morning.

"What's your problem?" she frowned over at him.

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not."

"Joey, I said it's fine," he huffed as he went to adjust his long legs and ended up banging his knee hard on the dash. "Goddammitt!"

"Heath…"

"Joey, it's me, not Hornswoggle. You mean to tell me you couldn't do better than a Chevy Aveo? A two door Chevy Aveo at that? Come on now."

"Sorry," she shrugged.

He shook his head, staring out the window in angry silence. She turned on the radio to a local station as their car had no satellite radio service either. The seconds turned into minutes and Joey had the sinking feeling that it was about to be a very long, very quiet and very dreadful road trip. He was being salty for whatever reason and if it was one thing she couldn't stand, it was when people had an attitude.

"It's too damned hot in here," he grumbled after a few minutes.

"Well, you can adjust the temp, you know" she rolled her eyes. "God, you're being such a brat today. What crawled up your ass and died?"

"Nothing. I'm just annoyed," he admitted after a few minutes.

"That's an understatement. Why?"

"For starters this car sucks…"

"We've established that already."

"Well, I went out last night with the guys to this bar and I met this chick, this smoking hot chick who was totally into me."

"And…"

"And nothing. I couldn't do anything about it. Couldn't hook up with her, dance with her, get her number, hell I really couldn't even talk to her."

"Why not?"

"Because I have a girlfriend."

"Who?" Joey wrinkled her nose.

"You," he shot her a mean look.

"Me? Oh…oh. Right. Damn dude. That sucks. Sorry."

"Tell me about it. You are really cock blocking, blowing up my spot, cramping my style, girl."

"I don't mean to."

"I know," he sighed. "And I don't mean to be a jerk to you either it's just this is hard, you know? We're knee deep in shit and that makes me nervous especially when so much is at stake like our jobs. The whole thing just makes me nervous."

Joey sighed.

"I get you. Look, none of this is right or fair and I'm really sorry you got dragged into it all and I'm sorry you have to keep lying."

"How much longer do you think we'll have to do this?" he asked. "Seriously?"

"Not too much longer. Stu is working on it."

"What do you mean working on it? What's he gonna do?"

"He's leaving his wife. Once that is done, everything else will fall into place. He and I can be together and no one can tell us any different. Then you and I can stop pretending."

Heath frowned.

"Normally I mind my own business but I guess this is kind of my business now. I just don't get it, Joey."

"What don't you get?"

"How you got tangled up with that guy in the first place. He was already married by the time he came to the WWE."

"It was fate. I mean, do you believe in soul mates?"

"I don't know."

"Well, I didn't either at least until I met Stu. We are just so connected and in love and meant to be."

"But he has a wife."

"So? It's just a piece of paper," Joey shrugged. "He doesn't love her. Like I said, he's leaving her soon."

"It sure didn't look that way the other week in New York," Heath commented under his breath.

Joey cleared her throat and ignored him.

"You're not the only one this is hard on, you know. And it sucks because people are finding it really hard to believe we are a couple."

"Yeah because it came out of nowhere. Hell we even forget sometimes that we're supposed to be all in love and shit. It's awkward, it looks forced, you're right, no one is buying it and we know nothing about each other. I had to Google your last name."

"Well Heath for now we have no choice but to make it work, make it look real, hence why we're traveling together alone today. We're gonna have to get to know each other."

"Fine," he sighed. "You go first. Tell me something about yourself that I don't know."

Joey exhaled.

"My name is Johana but most people call me Joey. I am originally from England but have lived over here for what seems like forever. Layla is my older sister and right now we live in Miami. I'm pretty simple. I'm nice, I like to laugh. I like to have fun. I love my job, I love my friends. Pizza is my favorite food and ice cream is my guilty pleasure. Gosh, Heath, this is kind of corny. I don't know how to do this. I don't know what to say."

"Are you close to your family? Do you visit England a lot?"

She sadly shook her head.

"It's pretty much just Lay and me. Our mom died unexpectedly a couple of years ago and we only go back to England when the WWE goes. I consider Florida my home."

"Damn. That's kind of sad. I didn't know. I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's okay but um, thanks for saying that."

"Yeah…"

"Anyway, I got into wrestling through Layla of course. Once I started watching, I was hooked and I knew right away that this is what I wanted to do. I absolutely love it. What about you?"

"I don't know…let's see. I'm 27 years old. My birthday is July 15th and right now I live in Tampa. Just like Stu, I got my shot on NXT through FCW. I've actually been signed with the WWE going on four years now. They had me down at the Deep South Wrestling territory in Atlanta for a while."

"Did you always know you wanted to be a wrestler?"

"I guess I kind of did but it was more like a pipe dream. For a while my thing was basketball and that's what I thought I was gonna do with my life."

"You played basketball?"

"Yeah. I played all through high school and junior college. It was a big thing for me."

She chuckled.

"That's pretty funny. I played basketball in school too. I love basketball. I am a huge Miami Heat fan and you probably know my sister used to dance for them. In fact, I like pretty much all sports."

Heath smirked at her.

"I don't know about all that…"

"What?"

"It's a guy rule," he explained. "When a chick tells you she loves sports, you must treat her as a spy until such claims can actually be proven."

He was dead serious but she couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Heath, I am more than willing to prove myself. Me being an athlete in the WWE should be proof enough and the fact that I am a Miami Heat season ticket holder but if it's not, I will be more than happy to school you on the court sometime."

"You school me on a basketball court?"

"What? I didn't stutter," she teased. "I'll play you one on one any time, we can even make it interesting, put a little friendly wager on it."

"You're on," he grinned. "I'll hold you to that."

"So finish telling me how and why you traded in your Air Jordans for wrestling boots."

"Well I was playing at Potomac State and it started getting serious. I had choices to make, things to figure out like if I wanted to keep at it and try to play for West Virginia University. I guess I was at a crossroads you could say. Two things happened to me that changed everything."

"What were they?"

"I lost my girlfriend and my passion for wrestling just kept growing stronger. It was time to take a long and hard look at my future and when I did, the decision was pretty easy actually. I didn't see basketball in it but I for sure saw wrestling. I knew that was what I wanted to make my living doing. I remember every Monday night watching RAW but not just watching it, I mean really studying it. So I decided that if I was gonna make a living as a professional wrestler, I had to get serious about it. My girlfriend at the time, Shelby, thought I was crazy. She broke up with me and I packed up all my stuff and moved down south. The rest is history as they say."

"Did you miss home? Did you miss basketball?"

"Sure I did. When you're used to doing something all your life, when it's not there anymore, of course you're gonna miss it. I mean, that's natural. I told myself I was gonna try out the wrestling thing for a few months then see if that was what I really wanted. When I was little, about 12 of me and my buddies used to get on the trampoline and put some tires and mattresses underneath it and put on our own wrestling events. We were just a bunch of kids having fun but the minute I got down to Georgia and put on those knee pads and elbow pads for the first time and got in that ring…I was hooked. It was the most awesome feeling in the world and nothing has compared to it since."

He got a look of real happiness on his face when he was talking about his love for what he did.

"What about Shelby? Did you miss her?" Joey asked.

He smiled and blushed.

"Yeah. Yeah, I missed her. She, um, she was my first serious girlfriend. We were together for a long time and she was my first love, actually my only love."

"It has been a long time. She is the only woman you've ever loved? Really?"

"Yeah. I mean, I'm still young. It'll happen eventually, I guess. I'm in no hurry. But yeah, I've only been in love once my whole life but Shelby…um, she was a real firecracker, one in a million. We were always together. I just remember summers on the lake and barbecues with friends and uh…it was just a real good time."

"Sounds like it. She must have been really special."

"She was. What about you?"

"What about me?"

"There had to be somebody before Big Stu, huh?" he ribbed her.

She bit at her lip to keep from smiling.

"Sure I've had other boyfriends and stuff but none like him. He's the real deal. Stu Bennett is definetly special," she swooned.

"You got that right," Heath rolled his eyes.

"Look, I know this must be very difficult and very weird…it is for me too but please can you just hang on a little bit longer? Please? For me? We'll figure it out, I promise."

"We better," he leaned back against the head rest.

"Thank you."

"You're a nice kid, Joey. I just…"

"What?"

"I just hope you don't get hurt, that's all."

"I can handle it," she curtly assured him.

Seconds later, her cell phone rang. It was Stu. Joey answered right away and subsequently spent the next ten minutes arguing with him. He had called to yell at her about something else but the fact that she was riding alone with Heath only gave him new fodder to pitch a fit about. When it was over, she was red faced, out of breath, mad as hell and damned near tears. She threw the phone somewhere in the backseat and cursed out loud, angrily hitting the steering wheel. Heath quietly studied her. He knew Stu and knew him well and now he was getting to know Joey. The whole situation seemed like trouble to him and he was sorry he had ever been involved. It was all too volatile and he just couldn't see any good or a happy ending coming out of it.

"Still think you can handle it?" he looked over at her.

Joey only stared absently at the road. A furious Stu would be waiting for her in Chicago. It was going to be a long few hours.


	14. Property Of Wade Barrett

Joey groaned out loud as her head banged against the board of the bed. It was an odd mix of pleasure and discomfort, which had seemed to sum up the night thus far. Sex with her boyfriend Stu Bennett had always been great and it had always been intense but that evening it had been taken to another level. His passion for her had been unbridled, a notion she had initially found quite alluring and sexy. From the moment she had arrived in his hotel room, there had been no time for greetings, small talk, or even foreplay for that matter. He had charged right at her like a raging bull, ripping the buttons right off her blouse with his right hand and severing the zipper to her jeans with his left. He had scooped her up in his strong arms before dumping her on the bed and literally collapsing right on top of her. He had devoured her lips, face, neck, and breasts with kisses and nips before prying her thighs apart with his knee and thrusting himself widly inside of her. Throughout the course of the night, she had tried to slow it down, tried to whisper in his ear, tried to change positions but it had been of no use. Stu was in control and he wanted her to know that. He continued to plunge deeper inside of her, his face now buried in the pillow that muffled his low grunts. One arm was wrapped securely around her core while the other hand kept a locked grip around her throat. It wasn't to hurt her but she had never seen him take charge like that in bed before. It was scary, confusing, and thrilling all at the same time.

"I love you," she whimpered, nails lightly raking against his strong shoulder blades.

He didn't respond verbally. Instead he raised up on the balls of both fists, pumping forcefully into her body one last time before pulling out and after giving himself a few strokes, he climaxed, releasing his man juices all over her stomach and private area. When he was done, he gave a satisfied smirk, reaching for a towel and wiping himself dry before heading into the bathroom. Seconds later, she heard the shower running. Joey sat still for a minute. She had always been on birth control so the two had never bothered with additional protection before but he had always released inside of her. The new and unexpected ending had made her feel cheap and used. Taking a minute or two to get herself together, she cleaned up before walking into the bathroom and quietly climbing in the shower with him.

"Pass the shampoo, love," he said in a normal voice.

Joey did as she was told although she was trembling on the outside.

"Is that all you can say?" she finally asked after a few minutes.

"What?"

"You know what I'm talking about. Jesus, Stu, what was that?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"In there," she wrapped her arms around herself. "What you just did…"

"Are you referring to our lovemaking?"

"If that's what you want to call it," she scoffed.

"Thought I'd change things around a bit, what do the Americans say…spice it up a little. I'm actually surprised to see you here."

"What did you think I was going to do? That was disgusting," Joey cringed. "I need to wash off."

Stu just grinned.

"I was hoping you'd take my little surprise back downstairs to that pathetic waste of skin…"

"See? I knew it. I knew what that was all about. The rough sex, marking your territory like a common dog? It's about Heath."

"Don't mention his name, Johana."

"What? I don't get why you have a reason to be so upset."

"I don't have a reason to be upset?" he turned to her. "You leave here and go back to another man's bed and I don't have a reason to be upset?"

"First of all, Heath and I do not and have not shared a bed. Yes, we do share a room but that is all your fault because of you and your big mouth putting the word out that he and I are the newest WWE super couple."

"Johana…"

"And second of all, considering you have a wife…you have no room to talk about sharing beds with other people."

"I told you I have moved into the guest room" he said through pursed lips.

"Whatever. And third, Heath is your friend. He didn't do anything wrong and you have no reason to be mad at him. He is the one who has had his whole life turned upside down being dragged into this messy drama. The guy is actually doing us a favor and now it's like you want to punish him for it. That is not fair, Stu, and you know it. Heath is a good guy. You guys came up in FCW together and you did NXT and now the Nexus …you've shared a lot and now you're willing to turn your back on that because you're jealous?"

Shaking her head in disbelief, she reached for a towel but he grabbed her arm.

"I don't like it, you going back and being in the same room with him every night."

"Well, I don't like it and Heath isn't exactly a fan either. If this little situation is too close for comfort, you have only yourself to thank."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm leaving."

"Don't go," he said in a quiet voice.

"Stu!"

He released his grip on her arm and met her eyes with his own.

"Don't go," he repeated.

Joey bit at her lip.

"God, why do you always do this to me?" she wandered out loud. "Why do I let you do this to me?"

He grinned as he sauntered over to her dripping wet.

"Because I am charming and excitable and you love me."

She tried not to smile but it was an impossible feat as she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his masculine chest that still smelled like body wash.

"I do love you," she looked up at him.

"You too," he said. "And I apologize if I got carried away in the bedroom. Primal instinct took over and I was hellbent on declaring and protecting what is mine."

"I am yours. You and I know that. Heath knows that."

"And pretty soon everyone will know that."

"Did you mean what you said?" she cocked her head up at him.

"What?"

"Are you really sleeping in the guest room, like for real this time?"

"I am."

"I love you," she gushed. "I mean that. I don't think you know how much I mean that. Sometimes it is even scary for me to admit just how much you mean to me. I just want to be with you. I'm so sick of hiding. I don't want to go downstairs to Heath's room. I want to stay here with you in your, our, room. I want to make love to you and be able to walk out in public on your arm."

"I want those things too, love."

"Then why can't we have them? It's not fair."

"It's not but those are the cards we were dealt."

She opened her mouth to protest but there was no use. It was an impossible situation and all she could do was let him hold her and enjoy the time fleeting time in his arms. Soon it would be time to go. After a few more stolen moments in the shower, the pair toweled off and she quietly lay in his arms for an hour or so on the bed until it was time to leave. With tears in her eyes and a smile on her face, she forced herself from his embrace. With one last kiss, she opened the door and checked the hall to make sure it was empty. When it was, she scooted off to the elevator for the short ride three floors down to where she was resistered with Heath Miller. Putting her hands in the pockets of her jeans, she cursed to herself when she realized that in her haste and excitement to see Stu, she had completely fogotten to bring her room key with her. Knocking softly, she tried to get her roommate's attention.

"Heath," she whispered loudly after a few minutes.

She heard footsteps coming towards her and the door swung open. The room was dark and Heath was wordless.

"Dude, if we're gonna keep at this arrangement, we're gonna have to establish some ground rules, like right now, naw mean? You've got to remember your key from now on," he finally spoke, wiping the sleep from his eyes.

"Sorry."

"Sorry doesn't cut it, Joey. Damn, girl. Like every time we get a room, you always sneak out to see Stu and you forget your key card every time and since there's no use in me going out, I am bored and stuck in this stupid room so I go to sleep and damn if you don't ruin that for me."

"Okay, Heath. Geez. You don't have to be so mean."

"Don't start."

"I'm not. I just feel bad enough about this situation and you always go and make it worse. Can you lay off, please?"

"Whatever. Look, I am not gonna argue with you about this right now. It's late and this is pointless anyway. I'm going back to bed."

"Fine," she mumbled underneath her breath.

"Fine," he repeated a little louder.

He climbed back into bed, crawling underneath the covers as he buried his face in the pillow. All he wanted was the nightmare that was consuming his life to be over. A few feet away, Joey quietly pulled the extra blanket out of one of the drawers and made a makeshift pallet on the floor, curling up using the crook of her arm as a pillow. The light from the moon and the city cast a glow inside the room and Heath could see her on the floor. As mad as he was, the last thing he wanted was to feel sorry for her but he couldn't help it. She looked too pitiful.

"Heath, I'm really sorry…about all this, okay?"

"Joey, you can't sleep on the floor," he ignored her apology.

"It's alright."

"No, it's not. Look, I'm gonna call downstairs to see if they can bring up one of those rollaway cots or something."

"No!"

"Joey…"

"That'll look suspicious and it's way too risky. It could be traced and then people will start asking questions and…"

"Okay, okay, okay. Relax. It was just an idea."

"I'm fine."

"Look…this bed is huge. Both of us could…"

"No. No way. Stu would have a fit."

"How is Stu gonna know?"

"Stu and I don't have secrets, besides I would know and it just wouldn't feel right. I promised him I would never share a bed with you."

"Jesus Christ!"

"Just go to sleep, Heath. I'm okay. Seriously."

But it wasn't okay. None of it was okay. He closed his eyes and prayed for sleep but it wouldn't come. The situation and especially Joey exasperated him way too much for that. Even though she had brought the whole mess on herself, he felt bad. The thought had been weighing heavily on his mind even though he tried to fight it. The Southern gentleman in him just couldn't let a woman, any woman sleep on a cold, dirty floor while he was afforded the luxury of a soft, warm bed. Cursing out loud, he swung his long legs over the side and stood.

"Get in," he commanded.

"What?" she sat up.

"You heard me. You can have the bed."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'll sleep on the floor."

"No. Heath, come on. I can't ask you to do that."

"You're not asking, I'm offering so hurry up before I change my mind," he grumbled.

"Thank you," she sighed. "You're a nice guy."

They switched places and instantly he regretted it.

"Yeah? Well my mama would have a fit if she knew I let a female sleep on the floor. I was raised better than that."

"Your mother raised a good man," Joey said softly. "Are you…you gonna be okay?"

"I'm alright."

A million thoughts raced through her mind. Joey kept feeling the need to apologize even though she knew the words did no good.

"Heath?"

"What?" he asked in an annoyed voice.

Joey took a deep breath.

"Here," she said passing him a pillow.

"Thanks," he said in a voice barely audible.

"Good night."

Heath looked up at the ceiling. The floor was hard and was killing his already sore back. He was in a pissed off mood and everything just all around sucked.

"Yeah…night."

It was night alright but he was having a hard time finding anything good about it.


	15. Horseplay

Joey El gave a tired sigh as she slung her bag over her shoulder. It had been another night, another grueling and physical broadcast of Monday Night RAW. Not that she was complaining. That was why she had gotten in the game in the first place. She absolutely loved what she did and the latest storyline had pushed her character to the forefront of the organization. She was one of the top Divas in the WWE. Johana was the reigning queen of Nexus. She proudly wore the black and yellow, leading the way night in and night out to the ring as six of pro wrestling's best followed her. There was nothing like standing in the middle of that squared circle, hands raised, spotlight on and thousands of eyes glued to her. Joey lived for those moments. That made everything worth it. It was the only thing she loved more than Stu Bennett, the only thing she wasn't prepared to give up for him.

They were in Los Angeles at the famed Staples Center. The crowd had been on fire that night, filled with energy and excitement. After wrapping up and winding down, the crew and on air talent had gradually dispersed, going everywhere from the local hotel to the nearest restaurant or watering hole or to the next house show destination. Layla had been traveling with Smackdown again that week and not being able to have a lot of out of ring interaction with Stu, Joey felt lonely and oddly out of place. Stu had been one of the first wrestlers to leave the arena that night and Joey had hoped to catch Windham, Joe, David and PJ who had all made plans to have some late night grub at a restaurant near where David and his wife, Jennifer Hudson lived. But Joey had been in the shower too long and missed her ride. The guys were apologetic and had texted her directions to join them. Not having a rental car in her name, she sighed as she headed to find the nearest taxi line. Walking through the backstage area, she passed by the large practice gym the Lakers used. A light was on inside and she could hear the familiar and distinct sound of a basketball bouncing. Peering through the crack in the double doors, she saw Heath. He was alone and changed into his street clothes, running down the length of the court dribbling the ball. She couldn't help but smile as she remembered their conversation when he told her about his basketball history. Joey just watched him for a while. He moved gracefully on the court with the same ease, confidence and agility he used inside the ring. He made a few easy layups before going for a slam dunk. He flew through the air like Jordan. The dunk itself wasn't spectacular but it was pretty impressive, none the less. The ball rolled and it ended up landing at Joey's feet.

"I guess white men really can jump," she picked it up and walked over to him. "Lose something?"

"What are you doing here?"

Joey shrugged.

"I was just about to go meet up with the guys and I passed by and saw you in here."

"I was just shooting around…"

"I know. You look good out there."

Heath couldn't help but grin.

"Yeah, my skills are pretty much undeniable."

She liked that. The old Heath, the grinning, silly jokester. Lately he had been sullen and withdrawn and she knew it was all her fault.

"Got a sec? Can we talk?"

"What's up?"

"I, um…I guess I was just wanting to know if you're still mad at me."

"Joey…"

"If you are, I get it. I don't blame you. I mean, I'd be mad at me too but uh, I hope you're not."

"Look…"

"You're a nice guy and before all this mess happened with Stu, you and I were pretty cool. I miss that. We were just getting to know each other. We still do have to work together so closely so I don't want it to be tension between us, you know?"

"I…"

"And it has nothing to do with us pretending to be together. I really mean it."

"Yeah…"

"It's just that I feel bad and I don't want you to be mad at me because of all this. I feel like you hate me."

"It…"

"So I was hoping we could talk…"

"Jesus, Joey, do you ever shut up?" Heath shook his head.

She frowned and he couldn't help but chuckle.

"What do you mean?" she asked innocently.

"Just what I said. Damn girl. You talk a mile a minute. You don't even take a breath between sentences. The thing is, I don't hate you. And I'm not even really mad at you. Sure you get on my nerves sometimes…like when you don't let me get a word in egde wise and when you wake me up every night because you forget your room key. Stuff like that irritates me but I do like you, Joey. You're an alright girl but you know this situation really gets to me. It's insane. It gets hard to handle sometimes and I get frustrated. Sorry if I take it out on you."

"I'm sorry, too," she said softly.

He extended his hand.

"No hard feelings, right?"

"Right," she shook it and smiled.

"So," he took a deep breath. "You gonna meet the guys for dinner?"

"I thought about it. David gave me an address, I was just gonna cab it over there."

"I can give you a ride if you want," he offered. "I have a car tonight."

"You don't mind? You sure?"

"Nah, it's cool."

"Well, okay. Thanks. Um, you almost ready?"

"Yeah."

He turned to grab his own bag but stopped as she released the ball she had been holding. With a perfect jumpshot, she sank it right in the hoop.

"Nothing but net," she grinned.

Heath raised an eyebrow.

"Damn…that was pretty good."

"I know. I told you you're not the only one with skills. Heath, I will take you to school, son. I already told you that."

He laughed out loud.

"One lucky shot doesn't make you a WNBA contender, you know."

"Who says it was lucky? How about we play a game of Horse and I'll show you lucky."

"You serious?"

"Serious as a heart attack. I'll even up the stakes. Loser buys the winner's meal tonight. What do you say?"

"You're on."

"Hope you brought the American Express," she winked. "I'm in the mood for some Surf and Turf."

"Alright," he clapped his hands. "Rules of the game…players call the shots before they take it. If the shot is made, the next player has to make that same shot. If not, the letter H is earned. With each shot missed, you earn another letter. First player to get H-O-R-S-E, which will be you, will be buying my beer and steak tonight. Now I'll be a gentleman…ladies first."

Joey smiled. He was on. She dribbled the ball and called a three point play. She sank it with relative ease before passing it off to Heath. He was unphased and made the same shot. They went back and forth for a while, each making their respective baskets until Heath missed an easy jumpshot that caused him to curse out loud.

"Uh oh," she teased. "You know what that means now say it. I want to hear you say it."

"It's cool, babe. I'll man up besides I'm just getting warm. H."

The pair kept shooting around silently impressing each other.

"So…what brought you here tonight?" she asked. "How did you find this place?"

"I've always wanted to wrestle here in the Staples Center. I know each arena has a special practice gym for the pro basketball teams so that's kind of my thing. I like to check them out, shoot around. Magic Johnson was one of my all time favorite players and I have a lot of respect for Kobe too. It's kind of cool for me to play where they have played, naw mean?"

"One handed shot from the free throw line," Joey announced. "Now what the hell does that mean?"

"What?"

Joey took the shot and missed.

"Shit! H."

Heath easily made it.

"Layup."

"Naw mean," Joey repeated. "You say that all the time after everything. First of all, what the hell does it mean and second of all, why do you say it?"

"It's like my new thing. I like to coin catchphrases, what can I say? I guess the fancy and proper way would be to say, 'know what I mean'. I just like to condense it…naw mean?"

"That's really dumb and I hope you come up with something else soon. You're a dork."

"You know I'm sexy."

They continued their game, all the while laughing and talking and making small talk. They were both competitive and kept it close, even stepping it up adding some defense, trying to block each other. A half hour or so later, they were both at the letter S. It was getting down to the wire and with Heath in control, he called what would be the last shot. It was a slam dunk.

"Oh that is so not fair," Joey pouted. "You are such a punk."

"What? That dunk I made earlier could have just been a fluke. Maybe white men really can't jump."

"Totally unfair."

She watched as he made another dunk. It was then her turn. Though the effort was valiant, Joey wasn't quite tall or strong enough.

"E," she reluctantly conceded.

"What was that?" Heath put his hand to his ear. "I don't think I heard you, babe. A little bit louder, please."

"E. H-O-R-S-E. Happy now? You win. Heath Miller wins the game."

"Thank you," he took a bow. "Thank you very much for having me."

"That was a default win, you know? You cheated. You knew I couldn't make that last shot."

Heath dribbled the ball a bit before throwing it back to Joey.

"Don't sweat the small stuff, kid. Next arena, I'll give you your rematch."

He had passed the ball hard and she caught it roughly against her chest.

"Ouch!" she screamed. "Dammitt!"

"You okay?" Heath walked over to her. "What happened?"

Joey dropped the ball and took a deep breath, trying to ride out the wave of pain.

"Turn around," she commanded.

"What?"

"You heard me. Turn around."

"Joey? Why…"

"Just do it. I have to check something."

Confused, he did what he was told, still watching her out of the corner of his eye. She pulled her shirt forward and was looking down inside.

"Dude, what the hell are you doing?"

"Stop watching!"

"Okay, okay," he mumbled.

A few seconds passed.

"Alright. You can turn back around."

"What was all that?"

"You threw the ball too hard. I thought you might have popped my implant. I had to check."

"Implant?"

Her face turned bright pink.

"You know…"

"Oh," he caught on quickly. "Oh. Sorry."

"It's okay."

He took one look at her and burst out laughing.

"You're a real character, you know that?"

"What?"

"Nothing, Joey," he shook his head.

"Like you didn't know they were fake. Anyway, don't throw so hard next time. I've taken Powerslams and Suplexes that hurt less."

"Quit your whining and break out your checkbook. I am feeling an appetizer, a nice juicy T-bone, a few beers and dessert."

"You may have won the battle but definitely not the war. Next city, next game, your ass is mine."

"I love it when you talk dirty," he joked.

They grabbed their bags and left the arena together in high and joking spirits. Tension had been plentiful between them and they needed a night to just plain forget. Like two old friends, they headed to the restaurant to meet up with the rest of the Nexus. For a few minutes they could be free before braving the public and putting up the façade of Super Couple.


	16. Black And Yellow or Black And Blue?

The house show had ended in Charleston, South Carolina and the Superstars had flocked out of the arena. Dispersing into various groups and cliques, they had gone off to do their own thing, which would consist of having dinner since all the talent was spending the night in the city and flying home the next day. With Layla El again on the Smackdown brand, Joey found herself in the company of the usual suspects, Windham Rotunda, Joe Henning, Heath Miller, PJ Lloyd, Stu Bennett and David Otunga. The group had gone out to eat at a local restaurant and the mood had been light and fun. Joey had really gotten to know the guys and in turn, they had gotten to know her. The banter was nice and she felt like she really belonged. Dinner had been fun. The conversation had been nice and the laughter and teasing plentiful but Joey had found it hard to relax and have a good time. Everytime she found herself living it up with the guys, Stu had shot her an annoyed scowl from the far corner of table where he sat quiet and picking at his food. He had been unusually sullen throughout the meal and everyone took that as a cue that he did not want to be bothered. Sure enough, he asked for his portion of the check early and mumbled something about a headache before slipping out.

"What's wrong with him?" Heath had whispered to Joey.

"Who knows?" she shrugged. "I'll go by his room and check on him later. He'll be okay."

And so the plan had been for everyone to retreat back to the hotel and try and get some rest for all the early flights that awaited them the next morning. But last minute, Heath had got a wild hair up his ass. They had passed a strip of bars and clubs and he had somehow managed to talk everyone into staying out at least a while longer. They chose a club that garnered their interest from the popular mix of hip hop and pop that blared onto the street. When they entered the establishment, only a few people were inside. It was a week night and that wasn't uncommon. The group grabbed a table and ordered up a round of drinks. It was nice to just relax, have fun and hang out and not worry about real life. They adored the fans but welcomed a rare night out in public when they weren't hounded for autographs and pictures.

"First round is on me," Windham drawled, pulling his trucker hat further over his eyes. "Whatever is on tap is good with everybody?"

The guys nodded but Joey frowned.

"Not for me. Not in the mood for beer tonight, babe. I'll have a Malibu Bay Breeze."

"A what?" Windham repeated.

Joey laughed.

"Malibu Bay Breeze."

Windham just shook his head.

"That sounds way too girly for me. I don't even want to order that out loud."

"Pretty please," she pouted, batting her false eyelashes.

"You're lucky I'm a sucker for a pretty face," he mumbled walking off.

She took a seat next to Heath who knowing the drill, put his arm around her. The Nexus members did not know what to make of the new "couple" but they sure weren't buying the undying love, though no one actually said anything. Still Heath and Joey kept up the act just like Stu had instructed them to.

"The deejay is really good," she commented.

"Hell yeah," Heath nodded, eyeing the empty dance floor. "The One Man Rock Band is about to get out there and set it off, naw mean?"

Joey cringed.

"This isn't exactly mosh pitting music, naw mean?" she teased back, causing everyone to laugh.

"I know that. I've got rhythm. I've got soul."

"Ha!"

"What? Is that a challenge? I mean, did you not get enough of challenging my skills on the basketball court?"

"Are you ever gonna let me forget that one?"

"Let me think about it for a minute, uh…no."

"Dancing and balling are two different things, Heath."

"What about you? You're talking shit like you're Janet Jackson or something."

"Hey, I can dance. And my sister did dance for the Miami Heat, you know."

"So that's your sister. We're talking about you here."

"Then let's quit talking," she stood.

David rolled his eyes and drank from his beer.

"Angry dance off from the two love birds. Take it away, Justin and Britney."

Heath's eyes smiled as he stood with her. He walked over to the deejay booth and had a chat for a few minutes before joining her in the middle of the empty space.

"Are you trying to cheat again, Miller? Trying to bribe him to play some country or rock so you'll actually have a chance?"

Heath grinned.

"Oh baby in like two minutes you're gonna be eating those words. And just remember, if a guy is good on the dancefloor, you know what that says about him in the bedroom."

"That he snores like a hibernating bear?" she teased him.

It was common knowledge that Heath snored loudly in his sleep, a fact he admantly denied even though everybody loved to rib him about it. He met her grin with one of his own but before he could retaliate the beat began.

"Got your armband?" he yelled over the music.

He raised his arm in the air. Even in street clothes, he proudly wore the N wristband.

"Always," she lifted her own arm before laughing out loud.

She immediately recognized the song. It was Wiz Khalifa and the name of it was Black and Yellow, a fitting anthem for present company. The beat was sick and Joey watched as Heath began to move to the music. Surprisingly, he was good. In fact, the red headed goofball from West Virginia was a great dancer. He moved his hips in time to the beat and pulled Joey close as they got lost in the sound. It was such a good time, they stayed on the floor song after song, eventually coaxing their friends to join them. They did. David and PJ were good dancers themselves while Joe did an alright job of keeping up. Windham or Big Country as Heath affectionately called him, was a whole other story. It was more than obvious that rap and hip hop wasn't the prevalent musical genre for Brooksville, Florida where Nexus member Husky Harris had grown up. He frowned and scowled and muttered that it was stupid and that his beer was going to get warm but Joey would hear none of it. She grabbed his massive hips and channeled Patrick Swayze as she tried to help in get in rhythm to the beat. It was damned near impossible but it didn't matter. It was all in good fun and the friends were letting loose and truly having a blast. None of them, especially Joey, noticed that they had company.

"No cover tonight, man, but I need to see some ID," the bouncer said to the man who was peering inside the club's front door.

It was a warm night and they had kept the doors open. The tall man with the dark hair clenched his fists.

"You going in or what?" another bouncer asked.

The man glared at them before walking into an adjoining alley and pulling out his cell phone. Nearly a half hour later, a grinning and sweaty Joey headed back to the table, guzzling her mixed drink as she noticed her phone buzzing.

"Okay, okay," Heath came up behind her. "That was an even draw. You were good, girl. I'll give you your props."

She grinned proudly as she checked her phone but the smile soon faded. In a period of 40 minutes, she'd had five missed calls from Stu and countless angry texts.

"Hey baby, can I see you for a sec?" she pulled Heath aside into a private corner.

"What's up, girl?"

"Heath, I have to go."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"It's Stu. He's pissed."

"What else is new?" Heath rolled his eyes. "Isn't he back in the room anyway?"

"No and he saw us here and it's gonna be a big blowup and I don't feel like dealing with it but I have to."

"You didn't do anything wrong."

"I know. It's just complicated. I'll be okay but it's best if I take off, okay?"

"Alright. Whatever," he shrugged.

"Make up some excuse to the guys. I'll see you back at the hotel soon."

She gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek before slipping out the front door. She smiled politely at the bouncers before making her way aimlessly down the street. A few blocks away, a lone hulking figure was looming, waiting for her.

"Johana!"

"Hey, what's going on?"

He didn't answer her at first. He looked around and certain that no one was paying attention, he roughly grabbed her arm and practically dragged her to a vacant space between two buildings.

"What was that?" he screamed at her, his accent thick and loud.

"Ouch! What are you doing? Let go of me Stu!"

"You stupid, stupid whore," he sneered.

"You're hurting my arm," she tried to wriggle away from him unsucessfully.

He only tightened his grip.

"I saw you in there."

"What? You're spying on me now?"

"You were given the opportunity of a lifetime brought into this group to actually do something with your career and what do you do? Take it as a joke and slut around with every guy in the Nexus."

"What are you talking about?"

"I saw you, rubbing yourself all over Heath and PJ and David and Joe and Windham like some common tramp. What the bloody hell were you thinking?"

"For the love of God, Stu, it was innocent. I'm just friends with those guys and you know that. We were just having a little fun, just dancing. It's no big deal."

"I should have known," his voice dripped with disgust. "I was foolish enough to think that you were different but you're not. You're just like every other whore in that locker room, throwing yourself at all the guys. Have you no shame?"

"Stop it!" she finally jerked away from him. "First of all, you are way out of line for putting your hands on me and second, you are dead wrong. You are only seeing what you want to see because you're being jealous and stupid. Nothing is going on between me and any of those guys and you damn well know that."

"I should have known better. Johana, you have been nothing but trouble since you came into my life."

"Stu!"

"You want to humilate me? I won't stand for it," he grabbed her again. "You want to be the Nexus mattress back? You go right ahead."

He released her with a push that sent her much smaller frame into the side of the brick building she was standing next to. Her arm stung with pain and her eyes stung with tears but nothing compared to the pain brewing inside her heart.

"What is wrong with you? You know I would never hurt you, never cheat on you."

"This was a mistake. You are a mistake."

"Stu," she cried.

"It's over."

"What?"

"You heard me. We're done."

And with that, he walked away even as she tearfully screamed his name until he disappeared from sight. It wasn't the first time he had broken up with her in the midst of a rage but it was the first time he had used physical force. As the street light cast a beam on her upper arm, she could see the small cluster of black and blue marks where his fingertips had been. But that was the least of her worries. Stu was a jerk but he was her jerk. Sure he was rough around the edges but he was a good man and she loved him. She knew he had a tendency to be jealous so it had been wrong of her to provoke him by dancing seductively with their co-workers. And now he was gone. Maybe with some tears and some sexual coaxing, she could persuade him to come back but in the meantime she was left with only a sad and empty feeling. Joey was tempted to call Heath but it was no use. She was too embarrased to let him see her that way and know what had happened. So instead, tears drenching her cheeks, she wrapped her arms around herself and made the silent and lonely walk of shame back to the hotel and the empty bed that awaited her.


	17. The Roommate

Heath Miller arrived at his downtown Tampa loft apartment and dropped his bags at the door. It was good to be home. He'd get to watch his own TV and eat his own food and sleep in his own bed. After a long and grueling road trip, filled with cities immersed in snow and sub freezing temperatures, he welcomed the Florida sunshine and the even warmer temperatures. He loved the WWE more than anything and was definietly living out a dream but those few moments of normalcy were nice. It was two days of rest followed by live events in Tampa and nearby Orlando but he planned to savor the time off along with the peace and quiet.

"Heath! Can you help me with my bags?"

He closed his eyes and cursed to himself. Because of the schedule, it was expected that Joey El, his faux girlfriend would be staying with him. Once again, whether he wanted it or not, he had a roommate. It naturally made sense and once more Heath was forced deeper and deeper into Stu Bennet's ridiculous plan that had not been well thought out. He liked Joey, he really did. He didn't have anything against her. She was a nice girl. She was sweet and fun but the majority of the time, for lack of a better word, she was a dingbat. Her very married boyfriend belittled her and controlled her and no matter what she always went back, believing his lies and empty promises. And sometimes Joey was a little flighty. Because they had been forced to spend so much time together and because the situation was so intense and touchy, Heath found himself irritable and snappy most of the time. Though she didn't mean to, Joey got on his nerves a lot.

"What the hell do you have in these things? A dead body?" he grunted struggling to carry her luggage to the apartment.

"I'm packing for like four shows and a week's worth of regular clothes. It's not a lot really."

Heath nodded.

"Well, this is it," he looked around. "It's not much but it works for me."

Joey looked around. There wasn't a lot of furniture or decorations. It was a classic bachelor pad but it was cozy and warm.

"I like it. It's nice," she walked over to the fireplace, picking up a framed photo. "Is this your family back home?"

Heath smiled.

"Yeah."

Her eyes roamed over to a much smaller photo, a faded older picture of a young red headed grinning freckled faced little boy.

"Wait, oh my God, is this you?"

"I was eight," he took the picture from her hand and set it back down. "Quit snooping."

"I wasn't snooping, I was just being curious. Besides you were a cute little kid. I like looking at pictures."

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, there is bread, milk, beer, juice, and cereal in the fridge…"

"You keep your cereal in the fridge instead of the cupboard? Iiieeww."

"I do and you better not move stuff around. I like it cold. Now like I was saying there are Ramen noodles in the cabinet and some boneless chicken breasts in the freezer. Bathroom is to your right and there is one bedroom but the couch lets out and it's not too bad. I'll get you some pillows and blankets and stuff. Washcloths and towels, too. Let me know if you need anything else."

"Thanks. Um, Heath, I know I already said it but I really appreciate you letting me stay here."

"Like I had a choice."

"I get what you're saying but you know, there's always a choice and uh…this whole time you have really looked out for me and helped me out. I'm grateful. It means a lot. I know this is hard for you and it has totally disrupted your life and for that I'm sorry."

His expression softened a little. Times like that when she was genuine and open, he couldn't help but feel bad for her.

"It's cool, Joey. Don't sweat it."

Her phone buzzed and she looked at it and frowned.

"Another text message from Stu…ugh. What a pest. He totally gets on my nerves."

"What is it now?" Heath rolled his eyes.

"Who knows and who cares? We're broken up, you know."

"Yeah right. For how long this time? A few hours? A day?"

"Maybe for good. I am tired of him. He is mean and rude and controlling and a total asshole sometimes and I can't take it anymore. I'm sick of fighting with him and having him talk down to me like he owns me or something. And the public scenes and embarrassing me all the time? I am so over it!"

She looked disgusted and Heath could only hope that she had finally wisened up and was for real this time. Maybe she had actually gained some self respect.

"So is it really over this time? For good?"

"Yeah," she began texting back. "I mean after everything he has done and the way he has treated me…it's gonna take a lot of apologizing and he has to ask really, really nicely before I ever sleep with him again."

Heath whipped his head around. She was actually being serious. He couldn't believe his ears as she popped her gum. So much for the newfound self respect. Yep, she was still a dingbat.

"Okay," he rolled his eyes and shook his head. "I'm getting in the shower."

He walked into the bathroom, closed the door and shed his clothes. He turned the hot water on and stepped in the shower washing his hair and body, mostly just enjoying the steam and wondering what the hell he had gotten himself into. As he reached for his towel, he didn't hear the door opening. He stepped out with the material barely covering his nether regions and nearly fell when he looked up and unexpexctedly saw Joey.

"Oh my God," she closed her eyes. "You're naked."

"Usually that's what happens when you get in the shower, genius."

"I promise I didn't see anything," she whispered.

"Joey…"

"I closed my eyes as soon as I came in. I didn't want to see your weedus waddus."

"My what?"

"You know…your…your pee pee."

"Joey, are you drunk? What are you doing in here? If this is your plan to seduce me, it's not working."

"I'm not. You, we've got company."

"Who?" he frowned.

"Nattie and TJ."

"Shit," Heath muttered.

Nattie Neidhart and her boyfriend, TJ Wilson were better known to the WWE Universe as Natalya and Tyson Kidd. They had resided in the Tampa area for years and had wrestled down in FCW alongside Heath and the other. He had become fast friends with the couple but just like everyone else, they were under the impression that Heath and Joey were a couple.

"What do we do?"

"Did you let them in?"

"Well yeah…"

"Joey…"

"It was an accident," she shrugged.

"That doesn't even make sense. How do you accidentally unlock a door, open it and let someone in?"

"Are you mad?"

"What did you tell them?" he ignored her.

"Nothing, that you were in the shower. Then I got super uncomfortable and was nervous that they were gonna start asking questions about us so I bailed and told them I was gonna check on you. So here I am."

"Alright," Heath sighed. "Look, we're gonna have to get rid of them but I'm gonna warn you they are probably gonna want to hang out later."

"They don't know the truth, do they?"

"No one does, Joey so we have to lay it on kind of thick. Make it look real. Just act normal, be affectionate, smile a lot and…"

"And what?"

"Don't panic if we have to kiss or something."

"Oh God…"

"Look this was not my idea."

"I know, I know," she took a deep breath. "We can do this. Just when we do kiss, I mean, if we have to…no tongue, okay?"

"Whatever."

"What?"

"Turn around."

"Why?" she looked confused.

"Because I have to put on my underwear and my gym shorts and I wouldn't want to risk you seeing my weeds or whatever the hell you call it."

"It's a weedus waddus," she said in a hushed tone, blushing and turning around so Heath could get dressed.

"It's a dick, Joey."

"Gross! Don't be vulgar," she squealed, covering her ears.

Heath smirked, approaching her when he was semi decent.

"Come on, Lover Muffin. Time to put on our fake faces."

He opened the door and they stepped out together, fake smiles plastered on their faces, like they were walking the plank.

"Heath, what's up, dude?" Nattie hugged him.

"Hey girl."

"You two lovebirds were in there so long, TJ and I were just about to take off."

"Yeah," TJ smiled. "Sorry to interrupt."

"Please," Heath said through pursed lips. "Please interrupt."

Joey gave him a pinch.

"Oh darling, be serious. He's always such a kidder."

"That he is," Nattie agreed. "But it's good to see you guys together, so happy. I admit when we first heard the rumor, we thought it was just that…a rumor. It was so hard to believe but um, you're a good guy, Heath and a good friend. You deserve a good girl."

Heath and Joey tried to hide their guilt. They hated lying to everyone.

"Yeah…"

"And I heard about Steph."

"What about Steph?" Heath and Joey asked in unison.

"Just that she thinks you guys are faking it or some crazy stuff like that. I don't have all the details but people seriously need to mind their own business. I mean, why would you two fake being together. That's crazy."

"Crazy," Joey meekly reiterated.

"You got that right," Heath muttered.

Joey forced a smile.

"I know Heath and I might appear to be an odd match but we actually have a lot in common. He's a great guy and I'm very lucky."

She looked at him and realized what she had just done. Inadvertently she had just set up _that _moment. It was the fitting and perfect time for the two lovers to kiss. Scared as all hell, their faces slowly and awkwardly moved together. Their lips met and after a few tense seconds, they relaxed. It wasn't so bad as Joey finally relaxed and let her lips part a little. Heath kissed them, being careful to adhere to her strict no tongue rule.

"Aaaawww, you guys are too cute," Nattie gushed. "Anyway, we won't hold you. We are having a barbecue at our place tomorrow night. The gang will all be there. It'll be a pretty fun time, you don't want to miss it."

"Barbecue?" Heath repeated. "Sure. Sounds great. We'll be there."

"I was wondering if you wouldn't mind coming over an hour early to help me with the steaks and ribs," TJ asked.

Everyone knew Heath Miller's skills on the grill were legendary.

"You got it, man. Count me in."

"Great. So it's all set," Nattie clapped her hands together. "Joey, that'll give you and me the chance to hang out. I can't wait to hear how you and Heath came to be."

Joey felt her stomach flip flop as Heath walked the couple to the door. He closed it and both let out a long sigh.

"You okay?" she asked.

"I guess so," he answered.

Her phone vibrated again.

"It's Stu…um, it's kind of private. Do you mind if I take this on the balcony?"

"I thought you said you were done with that guy."

"I was but he just texted and said he was sorry. He's being really sweet and…"

"Whatever. Look, I'm gonna take a nap. I am exhausted. I will see you tomorrow."

He didn't wait for a response. He headed off to the bedroom and closed the door and remembered to lock it. Collapsing on the bed he buried his head in his pillow and groaned out loud as he heard Joey loudly arguing with Stu on the phone. So much for quiet. So much for peace. So much for normalcy.


	18. Thrill Assassin

The party in TJ Wilson and Nattie Neidhart's backyard was a who's who of the WWE's top young talent. Nattie's cousin, Harry, also known as David Hart Smith was on hand. Drew "McIntyre" Galloway had brought his wife Taryn. PJ and Barbie had dropped by as well as Kofi "Kingston" Sarkodie-Mensah and his new wife. The rest of the Nexus members minus Stu Bennett and David Otunga were on hand with their friends and significant others. Nattie had also invited a lot of the FCW talent up as well. As promised, Heath and Joey had arrived early to help out. The morning had started off interestingly enough. Joey had spent the night tossing and turning on Heath's fold out couch unable to sleep due to her ongoing texting war with Stu. The pair was still officially broken up but that was not a reason to stop fighting. They were arguing more than ever and the stress and tension had made for Joey's restless night. Heath's loud snoring had not helped matters and by the time he got up she had been all too happy to take out her frustrations with Stu on him.

When he asked how she had slept, she had been snappy and informed him that his relentless night noises had made it impossible for a good night's sleep. Unphased by her snotty attitude, Heath had reminded her that they were sleeping in his apartment and she was always free to leave at any time. In a spoiled huff, Joey had proceeded to ignore him for the rest of the morning even keeping the silent treatment going when he told her to hurry up and shower because they had to get over to TJ and Nattie's place soon. She had locked herself in the bathroom for what seemed like forever and by the time poor Heath was able to get in, the heat from the steam had left him feeling overpowered and the lack of heat from the water had left him feeling pissed off. It could have been the catalyst for a bad day but they were about to go have a good time with their friends and it was no point in raising even more suspicion on their already suspicious relationship. So Heath had sucked it up and let it roll off his back and by the time he and Joey were in the car en route, all had been forgiven.

The air smelled of charcoal and barbecued chicken, burgers, ribs, steaks and hot dogs. Beer and snacks flowed freely. The music was loud and the mood was light and everybody was having a great time. Joey had spent a lot of her time in the WWE introverted and keeping mostly to herself and Layla so it felt good to mingle and hang out and basically get to know everybody all over again. As she sipped on a fruity mixed drink and tossed her head back and giggled at something that Barbie said, Heath couldn't help but notice how pretty Joey was. She looked like a younger version of Layla. They had the same hair color and same olive dark skin. Joey's hair barely reached her shoulders and she had pulled it up into a messy ponytail. Her face was caked in makeup, something Heath had told her over and over again that she didn't need. In fact, he found her most beautiful in her natural state early in the morning or late at night right after she had washed her face and was free of all the products and cosmetics. But standing there in a pair of khaki short shorts and a white tank top and sneakers, she looked like a little girl. She was happy and free just the way he liked to see her.

"She's a great girl, huh?"

Heath stopped flipping hamburgers long enough to notice that Greg "Trent Baretta" Marasciulo was standing next to him. The two men had been good friends dating all the way back to their FCW days together.

"What?"

"That Joey. I've seen the way you look at her. She's a little hottie, a real firecracker, we've all known that. I admit when I first heard you two had gotten together, it was something I didn't expect but now…I see it. The way you two act around each other, the way you look at her. It's sweet. Who would have known any broad was capable of taming the One Man Rock Band? You know, me and you had some good times partying on the road, chasing chicks. I'll miss it but I'm glad you're happy. I mean that, man."

Heath cleared his throat and grinned.

"Yeah…she, she's a cool girl."

Whenever others were around, he and Joey were forced to put on an act and as far as he was concerned, that's what it was. He liked her but not in the romantic sense. In fact, he wanted nothing more than to go back to his normal life. He couldn't wait for the triggering event that would mean the end of their façade but at times when they were alone and just being real with each other, he found himself enjoying her company. She was funny and sweet and it further puzzled him how she had managed to get so tangled in Stu Bennett's web of deceit. Whatever happened, he hoped that for the sake of her career, happiness and sanity, that she would somehow find the strength to get far away from that man and his lies and empty promises.

"Are those burgers ready yet?" Joey asked, standing on her tip toes peering over at the grill.

Heath laughed out loud.

"Damn girl. I've heard of coming back for seconds but what are you on now? Thirds, fourths?"

"I'm hungry," she pouted. "Can you make mine medium rare?"

"You mean still alive?"

"You know what I mean."

"I can't blame you, babe. I am nasty on the grill, sheer genius. Go ahead. Tell Daddy his burgers are the best you ever had," he gave her a saucy wink.

Joey blushed and grinned even as he took her plate and gave her a playful slap on the behind. Heath was a lot of fun and he loved to have a good time. He was light hearted and always joking, the polar opposite of Stu. Flirting was just part of his natural, bumbling nature. Heath Miller always had a way of making the ladies feel special and wanted. She was having a great time…everybody was but Joey's smile quickly faded as the back gate opened again and more guests arrived. But these weren't just any partygoers. Joey immediately recognized the woman wearing the long floral sundress and sandals with the long brunette hair. She was her nemesis, her foe, her arch rival. She was Jacqueline Bennett and she was married to the man Joey El loved.

She had always seemed a little standoffish, just as cold and stuck up as Stu had often described. She moved among the guests with a fake smile as Stu entered behind her. He wore jeans, sneakers and a dark tee shirt that provided an amazing contrast to his perfect blue eyes. Joey looked right at him but he refused to meet her gaze. And her heart sank when she saw his hand take a comfortable and protective position on the small of his wife's back. For the next hour, Stu Bennett treated his girlfriend like a virtual stranger. He ignored her and rejected the mere notion of acknowleding her very presence. He seemed to be in a good mood, laughing and talking as he moved around the cluster of friends and co-workers. He was never far from Jackie the entire time, playing the role of the loving and attentive husband to the tee. It was enough to make Joey's stomach hurt.

"Heath, I want to go. I'm ready," Joey blurted out as she found her "boyfriend" getting another refill from the keg.

"What?"

"You heard me. I want to leave."

"What are you talking about? We just got here. Everybody's gonna be out for a while."

Joey folded her arms, unimpressed.

"I don't care."

"Joey…"

"Look, can you please just get me out of here?"

She had seemed to be having such a good time earlier but it didn't take Heath long to figure out exactly what had changed her mood. He had noticed Stu and his wife and apparently Joey had noticed it too. Looking out of the corner of his eye he saw the happy couple looking like a modern day Ozzie and Harriet. Putting his cup down, Heath pulled Joey into the house.

"Look, I hate to break it to you and be a dick but that is his wife. I don't know what he tells you behind closed doors but judging by today and every other time I've seen them together, he is obviously telling her something different. Look, I know this is hard for you and I think he's being a real jerk by trying to rub it in your face today but maybe this is the wake up call you need. It's staring you right in the eyes, Joey. Is this the person you really want to be with? Risk your career for? Just let it go. Let him go. Dude, it's not worth it."

"Heath…"

"No, the best thing you can do is grab a drink, go right back out there and have a good time and not worry about him and what he's doing. You're better than that. Show him you don't care."

"I can't, okay?" her voice started to tremble.

"Joey…"

"No, you don't understand and you're not being fair. I can't handle it, okay? And you think you know me and what I have going on with him but you don't know anything."

"I'm trying to help you."

"No you're not. You're being selfish, Heath. If you care about me at all, if you're a real friend, you'll help me out on this one thing."

"This one thing?" Heath's eyes grew wide. "Are you being for real right now? I have been nothing but a friend, a damned good friend to you this whole time. In fact, I have been such a good friend that I have basically put my life on hold for you and pretended to be your boyfriend and got caught up in this ridiculous mess you call a life, putting my own career on the line to protect you and for what? So that guy can dog you out and humilate you? For the love of God, Joey. Are you blind or dumb or both? Stu is not in love with you and he's not gonna leave his wife for you!"

He was so irritated that he could have shaken her right there. But there was something about the way she looked at him and he saw a pain flicker in her eyes. Swallowing hard, she turned on her heels and ran, locking herself in one of Nattie and TJ's bathrooms. Exasperated, Heath picked up his beer and returned to the festivities.

"Everything okay?" Nattie asked with a smile.

"Everything is good," Heath took a sip as he sat down with his buddies.

He tried to have a good time but it was hard. Looking over at Stu and Jackie made him sick. The guy was a real prick. He had picked an innocent and naïve girl and had played on her emotions in order to get her into bed and use for his own string of amusement. Though Joey was a willing participant, at times he couldn't help but feel bad for her. She couldn't help that she was a dingbat but Stu could help that he was a predator taking advatnage of someone's heart. The very sight of the Nexus leader made him want to punch Stu sqaure in the jaw.

But Joey couldn't be let off the hook completely. She was still an adult and needed to take responsibility for her life, for her own actions. She frustrated Heath so much that at times he had no choice but to take out his aggravation on the punching bag at the gym. She had monopolized so much of his life and even though she was constantly thanking him for what he had done for her, sometimes her spoiled brat modes and actions told a different story. He was pissed off that she had the nerve to be mad at him for not wanting to leave the cookout just because Stu had decided to ruin her good time. And she had called him selfish and said he wasn't a good friend. As the minutes ticked away into hours and there was still no sign of Joey, Heath began to worry about her. He hated that. He wanted to kick himself for allowing her to ruin his good time.

"Where is Joey?" Barbie asked, craning her neck around. "I haven't seen her in a while."

All eyes fell upon Heath, including the smirking set that belonged to Stu. Heath stood.

"I'll go check."

He walked into the house and headed for the bathroom. After a few knocks there was still no answer. Then he tried to open it but it was locked.

"Somebody is in here," a small and pitiful voice said from the other side.

"Joey, it's me."

"Go away," she said after a few seconds.

"You're being really dumb and unreasonable. Can you just open the door?"

"No!"

And she meant what she said. Sliding down to the floor, Heath sat back against the wall and waited and waited and waited. Finally after 45 minutes, he was mentally exhausted, piping mad and ready to give up.

"Fine. You win. Just open the door and I'll take you home."

A minute later the door opened and Joey's tear stained face emerged.

"I don't want to see him. I'm gonna go out the front door," she said.

Taking a deep breath, Heath walked back out to the patio and announced to their friends that his girlfriend wasn't feeling well and they were going to have to take a raincheck. Everyone was disappointed but understanding. As Heath and Joey began the drive across Tampa, it was on the tip of his tongue, to go off on her, to yell, to tell her what a fool she was. But the minute he opened his mouth after taking one look at her pathetic, crumpled body he realized it was no point in saying anything. At that moment he wasn't mad at her…he only felt sorry for her.


	19. Are You Gonna Go My Way?

Heath Miller's Toyota SUV barrelled down the Interstate that linked Tampa to Orlando. It was a nice morning and the windows were rolled down and a vintage Lenny Kravitz tune blared from the radio speakers. Heath was in a fairly good mood, as well as to be expected considering he and Joey had been attached at the hip for days. The night before she'd had a tantrum of all tantrums forcing them both to cut out early at TJ and Nattie's barbecue. He had been annoyed for the better part of the night but in dealing with Joey El, Heath had learned it was best to let a lot of stuff just go. Holding onto his anger and irritation did no good. So they had woken up that morning and had gotten ready without really talking before grabbing breakfast on the go and hitting the highway. Tapping his hand on the steering wheel to the beat, he couldn't help but roll his eyes when he noticed that Joey was texting away on her phone.

"Who's that?" he asked.

She typed a few more letters on the keypad before putting it away.

"No one you know," she reached over and took a sip of her green tea. "How much longer until we get there?"

"We're not too far but traffic will probably pick up in a bit. I don't know, maybe an hour or so."

Joey nodded and stared out the window for a while.

"Sorry about last night," she finally said.

He smirked.

"No, you're not."

She shot him a pouty look.

"What? How could you say that? Yes I am."

"Whatever girl."

"Look, I know you were having a good time with your friends…"

"You're right. I was having a great time and you didn't give a damn. You insisted we bail because you were mad because your boyfriend and his wife showed up at the party."

"That's super uncomfortable, you know," she tried to defend.

"I'm sure," he replied sarcastically.

"Stu can be such a bastard sometimes."

"Agreed but Joey a lot of stuff you bring on yourself."

"Like what?"

"Everything. Jackie is Stu's wife. You can't be mad every time they go out in public together. You know the deal with that whole situation."

"I know. It's complicated."

"Complicated, huh? Let me guess…you've forgiven him again and now you're back together?"

Joey put on her sunglasses.

"I didn't say all that. We are talking again but nowhere near that point. I'm getting really tired of his crap."

"Dammitt!"

The SUV jerked violently.

"What? Calm down. Gosh, no need to get all pissed about it…"

"No, not that. I think we just blew a tire."

The SUV made a screeching, dragging noise as Heath put on his blinker and maneuvered safely onto the grassy part of the shoulder. He hopped out of and went to inspect the damage. Minutes later he returned.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I've got a flat."

"Great," she muttered. "So what do we do now? Call Triple A? Your insurance company?"

Heath chuckled.

"No, I'm gonna change the tire myself. It'll only take a few minutes. I have a spare in the back."

"Well it's starting to get hot," she fanned herself. "Can you leave the engine running so I can turn on the A/C?"

"No but you can get your ass out and help me. Come on."

Joey looked at him to see if he was serious. When she saw that he was, she dramatically stalked to the back and watched as Heath took out the spare tire and Jack. He placed the Jack under the metal portion of the frame and raised the body of the vehicle.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing? This looks difficult. Have you done this before?"

"I'm an old country boy from West Virginia, of course I know what I'm doing. Besides every man can change a tire…or at least they should know how."

"Stu always called Triple A."

"Well Stu is not here now, is he? Look in that tool box and hand me the wrench, will you?"

Joey sighed as she did what she was told.

"This one?"

"No," Heath shook his head. "That's a screwdriver. Jesus, girl."

She handed him several more wrong tools before finally hitting the jackpot.

"How long will this take?" she asked.

"I am not gonna anwser you," he replied, loosening the nuts and removing the hubcap. "Patience is not one of your strong points, babe."

"You can be such a grouch sometimes, you know that? A total grump."

"And you can be incredibly spoiled, shallow, self centered and inconsiderate. I guess that makes us even."

Joey made a face.

"Wow, I see someone is still pissed off about having to leave the party."

"Actually it's not that. This goes beyond a cookout."

"Then what is it?"

"You really want to know, Joey?"

"Yeah. I asked, didn't I?"

"Fine," he said as he went about removing the tire. "What really bugs me is you and Stu."

"What about us?"

"The whole thing. We've talked about it a little before but I still don't get it. The guy is a jerk. He's rude and bossy and he treats everyone around, you included, like crap. He's not even that nice to you at work sometimes. And to me, it looks like he's using you. Hear me out before you get all upset. On the road, you're his girl and you two are bunk buddies every night. Okay whatever. He tells you he's leaving his wife and that the marriage is over, yet when it is time to make appearances, there is Jackie right at his side. It never fails. It's obvious that he's playing you which is so lame because it's not like that fool has any game anyway. But he's getting over and you just let him do it. You let him get away with it. I don't understand."

Joey kicked at the dirt with her sandal.

"Yeah you would see that," she mumbled. "But it's not like that, Heath."

He used the end of his shirt to wipe the sweat that was beginning to form on his brow.

"Then what is it like, Joey? Enlighten me."

She chose her words carefully as it was the first time she had been able to actually speak them out loud. No one had really ever understood or approved of her relationship with Stu. It was something she could not confide to her sister or her closest girlfriends about. Up until that moment, the reasoning had been alive only in her mind.

"I never met anyone quite like him," she began softly as she reflected. "From that first day, the first time our eyes met it was this instant connection. It happens all the time…Divas hooking up with every guy in the locker room. That was never me and I didn't want it to be. I was always so focused on my career. This is a dream for me. And it was a struggle staying on top, worrying about things you men don't have to deal with. I had to worry about polishing up my wrestling skills, then I had to worry about my weight, am I as pretty as the other girls, am I as good as my sister? Then Lay and I set the bar and really did our thing in the Women's tag division and after that the pressure to maintain was really on. It's like it never stops, you know? In the midst of it all, here comes this guy…this gorgeous, amazing guy with this amazing accent and this amazing mind. I was hooked. I knew it was wrong but I didn't care. All my life I had been the good girl so who knows, maybe that was part of the attraction. Yeah, Stu can be an ass sometimes, a lot of the time but he's different with me. I see a soft and sweet and funny side. He gives me attention and makes me feel like the most special girl on the planet. I like that. When we're together behind closed doors, we're just so connected and it's perfect. I'm not just talking about sex either. It's more than that. I know you think I'm stupid and naïve and that this is your typical seedy affair but Stu really loves me. I know he does just like I know how great our lives would be if he left his wife. You might not believe it but I'm the one who loves him, the one that has sacrificed and risked everything so I have to believe in it. That may sound stupid or whatever but it's all I have. I know it's cliché but I really love him. I am so in love with that man that it's scary."

Heath reached in to put the spare tire on the hub. He was speechless for a moment. For the first time, he had insight into Joey's head…and heart. It still didn't make it right but for the first time, he understood.

"Look, I don't think you're stupid…"

"Yes, you do. You've called me as much."

"Okay maybe so and I apologize for my strong choice of words, it just kind of pisses me off. I got dragged into this and that's bad enough but I hate to see you get hurt or made a fool of or especially lose your career over some guy who isn't worth it. I'm not in your shoes. I don't sleep with the guy so what you've told me…I don't doubt that you believe it. And if there is a chance of happily ever after for you two and that's really what you want, then go for it but just be careful. I don't want to see anything bad happen to you."

"You mean that?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks Heath."

He aligned the wheel bolts and put on the lug nuts.

"I'll just share a piece of advice with you my granddaddy once gave to me."

"What's that?"

"Just make sure the fox is worth the chase. Naw mean?"

Joey quietly thought about how much Stu meant to her but also what he had put her through.

"Yeah. Yeah, I do."

"All finished," he sat up and wiped his hands.

"Damn. Looks good. You really did know what you're doing."

"Don't doubt the master, babe," he said as he put the old tire and tools in the back of the SUV. "You ready to get out of here?"

She looked over at him, his light red locks blowing in the last of the morning breeze. Instinctively, she reached over and gave him a big hug.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"What was that for?"

"For being a good guy,"she nodded.

They walked back around to the front and got in as Heath set about continuing their trek to Orlando. Joey's phone beeped again and she read a lenghty text.

"Still from that someone I don't know?"

She half smiled.

"It's Stu."

"Quelle surprise."

"He, um…he just told me that he and Jackie are not gonna spend Thanksgiving together. He just asked me to go away with him."

Heath was quiet at first.

"What are you going to do?"

He was hopeful that she had learned a lesson. He wanted her to know that she was better than catering to the selfish needs of a married man who did not care about her. Heath did care. He was a friend. As much as Joey annoyed him, he still felt a need to look out for her. Slowly she was starting to understand that.

"I don't know," she sighed.

He chewed his lip. Joey was never going to go his way but eventually he hoped that before it was too late, she would make her own way. Better a slow no than a fast yes. Progress was progress and he would take it where he could get it.


	20. Change Of Plans

The city was Omaha, Nebraska and it was the Tuesday night before Thanksgiving. Joey El had just finished an epic mixed tag match with her Nexus friends Windham "Husky Harris" and Joe "Michael McGillicutty" Henning against Kofi Kingston and Adam "Edge" Copeland and Beth Phoenix. Once again the young beauty had been able to showcase her wrestling ability. Her skill level had only improved in her short time of being incorporated into the Nexus faction and she had learned a lot from the guys. It was great being in that match with those performers in front of an enthusiastic live audience. But what Joey was looking most forward to was what was to follow after the show.

She'd had enough of her on again off again married boyfriend, Stu Bennett. They had broken up before but this time she had held out longer than others. Their legendary fights had been too much and Joey was tired. She was tired of the way Stu treated her, she was tired of the lies, of the violent side that came out of him when he drank too much or when he got annoyed with her. And she was definitely tired of his wife. There had been a brief period when the estranged lovers didn't talk. Once communication resumed, it had been hampered by the usual arguing. When Joey had decided to ignore him, he had caved and once more was the sweet and charming guy she had fallen for. Joey had stood her ground but the ground had turned into quick sand once Stu had informed her that he and Jackie would not be spending the holiday together and that instead he wanted to take her away.

Joey loved when her colleagues congratulated her after the match. She craved their respect and approval. After the match, she had retreated to the female locker room where she had enjoyed a long shower. After drying off, she had gotten dressed in a new Juicy couture sweatsuit. She had capped it off with cute little snow boots and a ski cap. Adding the finishing touches to her make up job, Joey grinned in the mirror. Looking good on the slopes was just half the battle. Checking her phone, she smiled when she read the text message and saw that Layla had already begun a vacation in Santa Barbara, California with some girlfriends. Now Joey was free to enjoy her own time off.

"What's up with you?" Heath frowned as she practically bounced her way over to him.

"What?"

"That's a whole lot of pink," he teased. "You're giving me a headache."

"I'm a total snow bunny. What do you think?"

"Looks okay, I guess."

"Heath," she pouted.

"Okay, okay," he chuckled. "You look great. Now where are you headed?"

She frowned.

"If I tell you, you're gonna be mad."

"No I won't."

"Yeah, you will."

"Joey…"

"I'll only tell you if you promise not to be pissed off. You have to pinky swear."

"Alright, alright," he rolled his eyes as she interlocked his little finger with hers.

"Okay, I am flying out tonight to Telluride, Colorado and I am going to spend my Turkey Day on the slopes skiing and snow boarding and drinking hot chocolate and otherwise looking fabulous. It is going to be so fun. I've never taken a trip like this and I'm totally stoked."

"Cool. Sounds like it will be fun. Layla going too?"

Joey cringed.

"This is the part where you're going to be pissed…"

"Love, you look absolutely fetching," Stu grinned, approaching them.

"I'm a snow bunny," she winked.

Stu growled.

"Where's your tail?"

"You get to find it later," she replied saucily. "That's half the fun."

Heath looked like he was going to be sick. Now it all made sense. He couldn't believe it. After everything Joey had been through with Stu, after finding the courage to walk away, she had now gone running back. When would she ever learn? How could she take three baby steps forward, then ten giant steps backward?

"I will pull the car around and load up the bags. PJ and Barbie are riding with us to the airport. We'll let them catch their flight to the Bahamas and you and I will catch our plane to Colorado. I can't wait."

"Me either," she smiled as she watched him walk away.

Heath gave a look of utter disdain.

"David is waiting on me. I guess I'll see you around, Joey. Happy holidays."

"Heath, wait," she grabbed his arm.

"What?" he jerked away.

She shrugged.

"I don't know. You seem mad and I don't want to leave it like this."

"Why would I be mad? This is your life to ruin. You're not a child, Joey. You're making choices and eventually you're the one that is going to have to live with them. There is nothing else I can do or say."

He started to walk away.

"I just feel like I'm disappointing you and I don't want to do that."

"I'm not the one you should worry about disappointing, Joey. Worry more about that person staring back in the mirror."

"Heath…"

"Well, well, well."

Heath and Joey stopped and turned around. Standing in the other entrance to the doorway was Stephanie McMahon Levesque. A skeptical smirk was etched across her lips and her arms were folded.

"Steph, hi," Joey cleared her throat.

"Hello Joey, Heath."

"Stephanie," Heath nodded.

"I was just making the rounds wishing all the talent a very safe and happy five nights off and I was hoping I could catch you two. It seems like I walked in on the end of an argument. My apologies."

"No," Joey forced a grin. "No arguments here. Right, honey?"

"No," Heath chimed right in. "Everything is right as rain."

"Joey, if you'll give me your bags I will load them into the trunk," Stu headed back into the room not paying attention and obviously obliviuous to the presence of the boss who not only doubted him but couldn't wait to catch them all in a lie.

"Mr. Bennett," Stephanie acknowledged with a sinister smile.

Stu looked like he had just seen a ghost.

"Stephanie…fancy seeing you here. What, what do we owe the pleasure?"

"Oh believe me, the pleasure is all mine. I was just wishing everyone happy holidays."

"Same to you," Stu nodded.

"You look very eager to get to the airport. Tell me, are you and Jackie doing anything special this year?"

"I, we, um…no," he nearly choked on his words. "Same old, same old, I suppose."

"Well, please give her my best."

"I will."

Stephanie turned her attention back to Heath and Joey.

"That is certainly a nice outift, Joey."

"Thanks."

"Are you and Heath headed on a ski vacation?"

"I…"

A grinning Heath couldn't control himself.

"No," he spoke up. "I'm actually headed back home to spend Thanksgiving with the fam."

Stephanie looked Joey up and down.

"A tad bit overdressed for West Virginia, aren't you?"

Joey tried to pick up her jaw off the floor.

"I, well…um, we…"

"I think she'll fit right in, won't you lover muffin?" Heath draped an arm around her.

Joey looked like she was about to faint and poor Stu was on the verge of blowing a gasket. The only one who seemed to be enjoying the moment were Heath and Stephanie even if it was for pure devilment alone.

"Thank you, darling," she managed tersely.

"Your first holiday together, how sweet for the two of you. Joey, you must be so excited to meet the whole Miller clan."

"That, I am, Steph. Charleston should be fun."

"It's actually Pineville, babe," Heath gave her a huge smile.

Joey didn't even try to control her facial expression.

"Pineville?" she repeated in horror. "That…that sounds just charming. Wow. Pineville. Pineville, West Virginia for a whole four days."

"I'm sure it will be great. Be sure to take plenty of pictures and tell me all about it," Stephanie told her.

"Of course…"

"As a matter of fact, I am headed back to Connecticut. I'll gladly give you two love birds a ride to the airport and see you off."

"Thank you, Stephanie, that would be awesome," Heath spoke up.

Stephanie nodded.

"I'll meet you guys back outside in 15 minutes."

They watched as she left. When she was out of earshot, the moans and curses began.

"Nice work, you human stain," Stu muttered.

Heath laughed.

"That was not my fault."

"The hell it wasn't…"

"Come on, you two. Wake up and smell the Starbucks. Stephanie is on to us and she is dying to prove it so she can bust all our happy asses and send us right to the unemployment line. She knows we're up to something and you two bouncing around here like star crossed lovers doesn't exactly help our case."

"Great, now what do we do?" Joey groaned.

"You two do whatever you want to. I'm heading back home where the grass is green and the milk is fresh and you don't have to lock your door at night. Turkey with homemade gravy and stuffing along with mashed potatoes, green beans, pinto beans, lima beans, baked beans, hamhocks and chitterlings are waiting on me. Naw mean?"

Stu suppressed the urge to vomit.

"My, that's a lot of beans," Joey tried to shake it off.

"I can't believe this," Stu shook his head.

"Sweetie, I'm sorry," Joey turned to him. "Look, Heath is right. Stephanie might be on to us. We have to be really careful. She is telling us to take pictures and she is insisting on driving Heath and me to the airport. I know you don't want to hear this and I really don't want to say it but I am gonna have to go to West Virginia…"

"Johana…"

"I don't want to but it's the only way and we both know that. Stu, we can't risk getting caught."

Stu grimmaced as he stared Heath down.

"You just love this, don't you?"

"You mean having to take my fake girlfriend, who by the way is probably just gonna whine and cry over your ass the whole time, to meet the family that I love and only get to see once or twice a year? Oh yeah, dude. Just like McDonald's I'm loving it."

Stu turned back to Joey.

"Well, you can't say I didn't try. Johana, I jumped through hoops to give you the romantic holiday you wanted and now look. It's ruined."

"And I'm sorry and you have to know that I would give anything to be with you this Thanksgiving in Colorado, baby. Look, maybe we can work something out, you know? Listen, how about I fly with Heath to Charleston…"

"Pineville," Heath reminded her as he took a bite out of a bright red apple.

"Pineville," she cringed. "Stay like a day and then meet up with you later. We could do that. That way our vacation is not ruined, just postponed for 24 hours. Okay?"

Stu couldn't stop staring daggers at Heath.

"Very well."

A few seconds later, Stephanie returned.

"We all ready?"

"Yes," Joey nodded.

"I will see everyone next week," Stu said begrudgingly.

"Absolutely," Heath took another bite of apple. "Happy Thanksgiving, man."

Stu left and Stephanie, taking a call on her iPhone walked ahead.

"Okay," Joey said more to herself than to Heath. "I can do this. We can do this. It's gonna be fine. We'll act normal in the car, catch the plane, go to West Virginia and like tomorrow night, Thursday morning, tops, I can be on my way to Colorado with Stu and it will all work out and everybody will have a very happy Thanksgiving."

Heath looked at her and shrugged.

"Whatever you want, babe. Look, I'm gonna go home and have a great time with my family and friends. Whether you come with or stay, really doesn't matter."

Joey closed her eyes and cursed to herself. How had she gone from being on top of the world to an all time low in less than 20 minutes? Once again, plans had changed and for Joey that meant one more ride on the roller coaster that had become her life.


	21. Miller Time

**_For Jamie..._**

Joey El stared absently out the window as the dark countryside passed her by. It had been the day from hell so far and the problems had begun some 36 hours before in Omaha after the show. The plan was simple…a romantic holiday vacation with her boyfriend. But a cruel twist of fate had ruined it all and before she knew it, she was on a plane with Heath Miller headed to West Viriginia of all places. Watching the look on Stu's face as they had parted ways was almost too much to bear. Then just as their flight was about to jet down the runway, one of the engines had blown and the passengers had been grounded for a full three hours before finally being shuffled to another plane altogether. They'd then had to take three connections to West Virginia and the airports were crowded the day before Thanksgiving. With losing hours due to the time change on the East Coast, it was dark before the pair landed in West Virginia. Then there was the trek by rental car to Pineville.

Joey had been quiet the whole day. Heath knew she was sulking and he did not care. He also knew she was bummed about missing out on her little ski trip with Stu. He didn't feel sorry for her in the least. She had been dumb for even agreeing to go anywhere with the very married man that humiliated her and treated her like a prostitute. And as excited as he was about spending time with his family, nothing, not even a temper tantrum was going to spoil his good time.

"You want anything?" he broke her out of her trance as pulled over into the parking lot of a grocery store.

Joey rubbed her eyes.

"Are we here already?"

"Almost. There are no big stores in Pineville and I wanted to pick something up."

"I'm fine," she frowned, watching him get out and disappear into the store.

Joey shifted around uncomfortably in her seat before reaching over and making sure all the doors were locked. She had seen The Hills Have Eyes. There was no telling what lurked in the trees of West Virginia. There probably were deformed, inbred cannibals just waiting to prey on pretty and innocent girls in designer pink ski outfits. Biting her lip, she pulled out her phone again. The signal was shotty at best. The last time she'd had decent service was at the airport and Stu was not answering his phone much to her dismay. Cursing her rotten luck out loud, she jumped and let out a scream whe minutes later Heath returned and tapped on the window.

"Dude, you have way more of a chance getting robbed in Miami than you have in this town, naw mean?"

Joey looked up. Even though they had come from a grocery store, in his hands were a beautiful multi-colored bouquet of roses. She sighed.

"Oh Heath, that's so sweet. I know you feel just awful for ruining my vacation but you didn't have to buy me flowers."

Heath made a face.

"First of all, these are not for you. The roses are for my mom. And second of all, I did not ruin your vacation. It was a stupid idea in the first place and your ass almost got caught slipping by the Boss Lady. I didn't invite you to come along with me."

"Thanks a lot," she muttered sarcastically.

"I didn't mean it like that," he cranked the smooth running engine. "I mean, if you want to come and have a good time, it's all good. But I don't want to put up with your pouting and whining and bitching and moaning. I'm for real, Joey."

"Fine. Besides, I'll be out of your hair by tomorrow night anyway. Hopefully I can still meet Stu in Colorado."

"You think he actually went alone?"

"Yeah. Why not?"

"I don't know. Do whatever you want. I'm just looking forward to relaxing with the fam."

Joey wrinkled her nose.

"How are they anyway?"

"My family?"

"Yeah."

"They're cool," he shrugged with a smile. "Funny, kind of loud. Real country, simple living people but they've got good hearts. I think they'll like you."

"Think they'll buy the whole girlfriend story?"

"I don't see why not."

Joey filed away at her freshly manicured nails.

"It won't be like The Beverly Hillbillies, will it?"

"What?" Heath laughed out loud.

"Is there gonna be people shooting rifles for no apparent reason all the time and is there going to be roadkill for dinner?"

He rolled his eyes.

"You really think we scrape possums off the road and feed them to the company?"

"Do you?" she looked genuinely scared.

"Not on your first visit," Heath smirked as they made their way into the town.

A sign welcomed them to Pineville.

"Is this it?" she sat up.

"The one and only. It ain't New York City, babe."

They passed a courthouse and then the main avenue. An uneventful few minutes later, there was nothing but pitch black.

"I'm scared," Joey complained. "You sure you know where you're going?"

Heath just chuckled.

"Girl, I know these roads like the back of my hand."

A short time later, they turned onto a long driveway where a modest one story brick house sat at the end.

"Thank God," she muttered. "I have to pee so bad. Wait…you do have running water or do I have to use one of those out house thingys?"

"We have running water, electricity and even that new invention they call a TV. Imagine that."

"Sorry," she muttered. "Gosh, you don't have to be such a smart ass about things."

They got out and began unloading their personal belongings from the trunk. As Joey stood, she felt something push her from behind. She landed onto the cold ground with a thud, whimpering as she felt a heavy weight on her. It was so dark she could barely see but all she knew was that she felt fur and a tongue licking her face.

"Ace, get off of her!"

Heath reached down and pulled a large, panting German Shepherd away from Joey.

"Oh. My. God. That was gross," she spat.

Heath chuckled.

"He likes you. This is the family dog. Has been with us for years. That's just his way of being friendly."

"Keep that damned beast away from me!"

"Okay, okay," he stifled a laugh as he helped her up and wiped the brush and dirt from her clothes. "You alright?"

"I'm fine."

They gathered their things and headed into the house. A small get together with a host of family members and friends had accumulated in the living room area. The minute Heath poked his head in the front door, they all stopped what they were doing and rushed to him, smothering him with hugs and kisses. The chaos and commotion had pushed poor Joey back outside onto the porch until Heath was finally able to break loose and help her inside.

"Oh baby, I can't believe you're here," an attractive petite but older woman stared at him.

"I'm glad to be here, Mom. It's good to see all of you."

He proudly presented her with the floral arrangement.

"Thank you so much, baby. They are so beautiful."

"You're welcome."

"Aren't you gonna introduce us to your friend?"

Heath cleared his throat, pulling a stiff Joey closer to him.

"Everyone, this is my girlfriend, Johana El. And Joey, this is everyone. Grandma Pearl and Grandpa Stan. This is my mom, Valene, and over there is Aunt Ida and Aunt Susan and Aunt Becky. These are our neighbors, The Smith's, the Johnson's, and the Brown's. That's Uncle Jack, Uncle Joe, Uncle Mike, and Uncle Bob. My cousins are Sherri, Amber, Ashley, Sean, Ella, Clay, Matt, and Gabe. And you've met Ace."

Joey smiled as she was next to be bombarded. If she thought the reception from Ace was a little over the top, she had been ill prepared for the down home welcoming the humans gave her. Five minutes later she felt all hugged and smiled out.

"Hello everyone," she clung to Heath.

"Oh we've seen her on TV on the wrestling," Grandma Pearl grinned. "Just look at her. She is so tiny and cute. So much prettier in person, too."

"Thank you, ma'am."

A pretty red headed girl loudly cleared her throat and approached the couple, arms folded.

"Aren't you forgetting something, Heath Miller?" she demanded.

His face broke out into a huge grin as he lifted her up off the floor and swung her around.

"I could never forget you, babe. This little squirt here is my sister, Aubrey."

"Nice to meet you, Joey," Aubrey gave Joey a hug.

"We are certainly happy to have you here with us, Joey. Please, you two get your bags and such and get settled into the basement and come on back out for supper. Grandma made pot roast and I've got some fresh deer jerky for you," Valene smiled.

Heath led Joey down a long hallway that led to a stairwell. He cut the light on and instantly Joey saw the steps that led to a basement. In the corner was a room with old pictures of Heath along with a collection of Matchbox cars and a host of old basketball trophies.

"So this is your room," she looked around.

"Mom kept me and Aubrey's rooms the same. My little sis is in her last year at West Virginia State."

"That's nice. She seemed like a sweet girl. They all seemed nice. A little…"

"Touchy feely?"

"Well yeah," Joey answered, slightly embarrassed.

"Wait to they hit up the Moonshine."

"Heath…"

"Just busting your chops, babe. Now relax."

She shed her coat and put her bags in the corner.

"So are we just gonna hang out here tonight?"

"Pretty much. Just eat, catch up, relax. You hungry?"

"A little but nearly enough to eat Bambi's mother. Deer jerky? Seriously Heath? Besides being cruel that is just gross."

"It's delicious, now come on," he guided her back to the party.

The gathering was in full swing and Joey found herself thrust uncomfortably in the middle. Everybody was asking a thousand questions about her and Heath. How long had they been together? What was it like traveling all the time? Did they have any plans to marry? She remembered to keep smiling and use her best manners as she talked to them and tried to enjoy the food. Indeed it was quite tasty but she just hoped that it was actual pot roast and not skunk or raccoon. After a few hours the crowd gradually dispersed just leaving the occupants of the house, Heath's mother, grandparents and his visiting sister. Joey had now migrated to the living room quietly listening in on the conversation between Heath and his family. They sat mesmerized around the fireplace absolutely captivated by his tales of life and travel in the WWE. On the mantle was a large WWE promo shot of a grinning Heath in his wrestling gear. It had been framed and was on display for all to see. Next to it was a smaller framed photo of Heath and his fellow Nexus members. Standing front and center in her black and yellow hoodie was Joey. She couldn't stop staring.

"Do you like it, dear?" Grandma Pearl asked.

Joey nodded.

"Yes ma'am. It's very nice."

"We're so proud of our boy. He certainly has done well for himself. He's going off seeing the world, living his dream and now he has brought home a pretty little thing like you."

"Thank you," Joey blushed.

"Stan," she hollered across the hall. "Grab the camera, honey. Let's get a picture of just little Joey and Heath together so we can hang that one up, too."

"Oh no. I mean, don't go to any trouble. It, um, it really isn't necessary."

"It's no trouble at all. Y'all make such a cute little couple. Heath, honey, get your tail over here and stand next to this sweetheart. Put your arm around her and both of you give me a big smile."

Heath, on his second beer, happily obliged.

"Smile, buttercup," he teased Joey.

Heath's was more of a knowing smirk while Joey's was forced. After a few more hours it was getting late.

"Well, we're just so excited to have Heath and Joey here that we keep forgetting that they must be exhausted from their trip. We'll let you kids get some shut eye. Do you have everything you need?" Valene asked.

"Yes ma'am," Heath nodded.

"Good," Valene looked her son right in the eye. "We know you two are adults and all and share a bed on the road and in Florida. Normally we wouldn't stand for something like this but since it's such a serious relationship, y'all go ahead and sleep downstairs in your old room."

"Make sure you take some extra blankets," Grandpa Stan warned. "Pearl, get them some more covers. You know that darn thermostat is still on the blink down there."

"That's right," the sweet, elderly later quickly returned with a stack of quilts. "I almost forgot. The man should be here to fix it the day after tomorrow. You know you can't get anybody to do anything on a holiday. I just hope y'all will be alright for the next two nights…"

"It's okay," Joey spoke up. "I'm probably leaving tomorrow anyway."

"Leaving? But it's Thanksgiving."

Joey averted Heath's gaze.

"I know but I had plans…you know, stuff I have to do. Sorry."

"That's too bad. We'll just have to enjoy you while we can, my dear. It's a real shame you'll miss my fried turkey, country ham, chitterlings, mashed potatoes and gravy, homemade stuffing, pumpkin pie, navy beans, pinto beans, green beans, lima beans, fava beans, red beans and rice, and bean soup."

Joey wanted to vomit in her mouth. Heath hadn't been kidding around.

"A lot of beans," she repeated muttering under her breath.

"Mmmm, Grandma. I'll be here," Heath grinned, rubbing his stomach before taking Joey's hand. "You ready?"

Joey nodded and scurried down the steps to the sanctity of the basement. She groaned, collapsing on the bed.

"What a night," she rubbed her aching neck. "I am beat."

"Me too. I'm too tired to even shower. I'll just do it in the morning."

"Me too," Joey just watched as Heath stripped down to his underwear and hopped between the sheets.

"Shit, it is cold in here," he noted.

"What are you doing?"

He frowned.

"Going to sleep. What does it look like?"

"I looked around and didn't see a cot or anything and if I try to crash on the couch it'll look obvious."

"So what are you saying?"

"I'm saying you sleep on the floor and let me have the bed."

Heath laughed out loud.

"Yeah right. Been there, done that. Not again."

"Heath…"

"Joey, no. Dude, that floor is solid concrete. It is hard as hell."

"All the more reason for me not to sleep on it. My neck is killing me."

"And if you sleep down there, that won't be all that's gonna hurt."

"What am I supposed to do then?"

He patted the empty space next to him.

"Plenty of room.

"In there? With you?"

"Do you see any more appealing options? Got a better idea?"

"Yeah, you on the floor."

"Not gonna happen. Besides, I don't see what the big deal is anyway."

"You know what the big deal is. Stu would kill me. He would kill both of us."

"Stu is not here and I thought you guys were done for real this time."

"It's complicated."

He rolled his eyes.

"I'm sure it is. It always is. Anyway, I'm gonna hit the sack. You do what you want to do," he yawned loudly, still facing her.

"Fine. Be that way. I will sleep on the floor."

"Suit yourself, babe. Nobody's holding a gun to your head."

She huffed over to her bag and pulled out a sleep tank and matching shorts.

"Stop looking over here," she stamped her foot. "I need to change. Turn your head, please."

He put the pillow over his face but couldn't help but sneak a quick peek as she put on her night clothes. He only caught a glimpse of her bare back but it was enough to remind him that beneath all the whining and complaining and kookiness was a sweet girl…and a smoking hot body.

"You done yet?" he asked.

"Be quiet," she grabbed a bunch of cover and settled onto the floor.

The room was dark and quiet but Joey was near death. Heath had not been lying about the floor. It was hard and cold and it made her whole body hurt. On top of that, the lack of heat in the poorly insulated basement with sub zero temeratures outside was almost too much to bear. She held on for nearly an hour before groaning out loud and getting up, crawling into bed next to a snoring Heath.

"What's going on?" he murmured sleepily. "What are you doing?"

"I was about to freeze to death down there and now my neck, my back and my head are killing me. I can't take it anymore. Move over."

Heath made room as she scooted beside him. Her bare leg touched his and he was shocked at how cold it was.

"Your body feels like ice, Joey. Damn. Are you okay?"

He could hear her teeth chattering.

"Oh Heath…"

"Come here," he beckoned.

He swaddled her with blankets and then spooned her, covering her arms and legs with his.

"What, what, what are you doing?"

"Body heat. It'll warm you right up."

After ten or so minutes she began to feel normal again. His embrace was strong yet comforting. It was easy to get lost in and for a few brief moments Joey forgot that it was all supposed to be just a facade.

"Thanks," she breathed a sigh of relief.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Just…"

"Just what?"

"Just don't ever tell anybody about this."

Heath shook his head and decided he was going back to sleep.

"Whatever. Night, girl."

Within minutes he was snoring again. And to make matters worse, she felt something poking her in the middle of her back.

"Please, please be a flashlight," she whispered out loud.

Reaching onto the nearby nightstand, Joey picked up her phone to try to dial Stu again. No signal. Sighing, she put the pillow over her head. What on earth had she gotten herself into?


	22. Awakenings

"Joey, honey, are you comfortable?"

Joey turned her head to see Heath's mother, Valene, leaning over her. She forced a smile and shifted uncomfortably on the sofa.

"Yeah. Um, thank you, I'm fine."

The woman nodded and smiled, leaving the younger girl be. Joey stared up at the huge antique clock that hung over the fireplace mantle. It was noon already and the smell of chitterlings and every bean that could be found in the state of West Virginia, could be smelled simmering on the stove. Joey had been up since eight. Surprisingly it had been a restful night. After surviving nearly freezing to death on what had to be the world's hardest concrete floor, the warm bed was a cozy welcome. Though Heath's loud snoring and "flashlight" poking had made her uneasy, it had turned out to be very natural and comfortable sleeping next to him. In the morning she had awakened feeling rested and refreshed and securely wrapped in his embrace.

For a few minutes Joey had laid there silent. After lovemaking, she had always slept in Stu's arms but the way his arms felt was so different. Both were strong but with Stu she'd always felt as if he was proclaiming her, leaving a stake on his property, letting the world know that she belonged to him. More often that not, that very notion had brought a smile to her lips. She was proud to be known as Stu Bennett's girl. But something was different about Heath. The way he cuddled her was gentle and loving, as if he was trying to protect her from all the harm in the world. Joey felt safe and that felt nice but she knew she couldn't stay there forever. It was inappropriate to be sleeping next to Heath, besides, she was a woman on a mission. It was time to get out of Pineville.

"Here Mom, these are the boxes you asked me to bring up," Heath dropped off a few crates on the floor. "Is this the last of them?"

Valene nodded.

"Thank you, baby. Just leave them right here."

"You alright, Mom?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm just worried about Joey."

"Joey?" Heath frowned.

"Yes. She is a guest in our home and she is your girlfriend. I just want to make sure she is happy and comfortable and she doesn't look either."

Heath peered over, seeing Joey nervously looking around as if she'd rather be anywhere else on earth. He fought the urge to roll his eyes.

"She's fine. Don't worry about her. Anyway, is Grandpa alright?"

Valene sighed.

"He's out back in the shed."

Heath gave his mother a kiss and headed towards the backyard. On the way out, he heard the vibration of Joey's cell phone. She pulled it out of her purse and instant glee came to her eyes as she saw who it was. Shaking his head, he left as Joey took the phone out into the front yard for better reception and more privacy.

"Stu? Oh baby, I am so glad you called," she gushed. "I have been trying to reach you since yesterday. I miss you so much."

"And how is your holiday on the farm?" he sarcastically asked.

"Okay, I guess but I'm really ready to go. I want to see you."

"I'm sure you do. It must be absolutely dreadful, being stuck with the annoying waste of skin, Miller and I'm sure his family is just as awful."

Joey squirmed. She didn't like hearing anyone saying such ugly things about Heath or his family.

"He's a good guy and his family, they're really nice. It's not so bad."

"So much so that you're willing to stay there and forfeit what is left of our vacation? Colarado is beautiful, Johana. I think you'd love it but I am willing to keep hitting the slopes alone…"

"No, no, no," she grinned. "Of course not. I am so ready to see you. I can't believe you went to Telluride all alone."

"Where else would I be, love? I made a promise to you."

She couldn't contain her grin.

"Oh Stu. As soon as I can get an Internet connection I am gonna book the next flight out to Colorado and…"

"No need. All taken care of. I have you boarding a flight at 4:15 from Tri State Airport in some godforsaken town named Huntington. Think you can make it?"

"Absolutely. Let me grab my things and I will call you as soon as I get to the aiport. Thank you, baby. I love you."

"You too," he hung up.

Joey squealed. Life was perfect. Thanksgiving had been saved. Running back into the house, she practically skipped downstairs and quickly gathered her belongings. When she was done, she went to the backyard looking for Heath. She found him down by the nearby pond.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey," he didn't look at her, throwing a stick that Ace quickly fetched and brought back.

"What are you up to?"

He shrugged.

"Nothing much."

"Well, I've got good, no great, news."

"What's that?"

"I am about to be out of your hair so you can enjoy the rest of your time with your family in peace. Um, Stu called and he's waiting for me at the ski lodge still. He, uh, booked me a flight out of some airport in a city called Huntington. Anyway, it leaves at 4:15. I packed my stuff. We need to get there as soon as possible."

"Huntington?"

"Yeah. That's what he said."

"Joey, that's almost three hours away."

"Okay. So we better hurry."

"Dude, if I drive you all the way to Huntington, we won't get there until three. That won't put me back here until around six."

"So? That leaves me plenty of time to catch my plane."

"Yeah and it leaves me plenty of time to miss church with my family."

"Church?" she made a face. "But it's Thanksgiving."

"And it's a tradition. My family always goes to church on Thanksgiving at five. Then we come back and have dinner together."

"Well, this is really important," she whined. "Can't you be late this one time?"

"Joey…"

"What? It's not my fault we're out stuck in the middle of nowhere. It's not like I can exactly hail a cab, you know."

"You're impossible," he shook his head. "Impossible and completely selfish."

With that, he brushed past her and headed back towards the house, Ace close on his heels.

"Heath, I need to talk to you," Joey grabbed his arm once they were both inside and guided him towards the basement.

"There you two are," Grandma Pearl smiled. "Heath, honey, the potato salad is almost done. Would you like to taste it?"

"In a minute, Grandma," he called out as he was forced down the stairs.

"You're being totally unfair!" Joey folded her arms.

"Oh I'm being unfair?"

"Yes, you are. This is so important to me and you know I have no other way to get to Huntington and Stu is waiting and…"

"It's all about you, huh? Look, what did I tell you from the jump about this trip? I told you that you were welcomed to come as long as you didn't complain. Well, since you've been here, all you have done is complain and bring drama and try to make me miserable while the whole time my family has been nothing but nice to you. That is not only selfish as hell, it's rude. I don't appreciate it and right now, your stupid little trip is the last thing on my mind."

"But…"

"I don't care and I don't want to hear it. It's always about you, Joey and I'm over that shit. It got old real quick. For once, why don't you get over yourself? There are more important things in the world than you and your wants but I know you can't see that. Well, today I don't care what you see. You can stay here or go to Colorado provided you find your own way to the airport."

"And just how am I supposed to do that?"

"Don't know," he shrugged as he walked off. "Not my problem, babe."

He slammed the door and in a spoiled huff, Joey threw herself in a fit of tears onto the bed. A few minutes later, she received a text from Stu.

_On your way, love?_

She sighed.

_No luck. Heath won't take me._

Joey knew Stu would not be pleased.

_I knew this would happen. I hope you're happy that I wasted so much time and effort on this trip and it was all for naught!_

Joey gasped. How could he say that to her?

_Why are you turning this around on me? Not my fault. You know I wanted to be with you._

The response was immediate.

_You should have just gone back to Miami. Maybe you and Heath are taking the game of pretend just a little too far._

She could not believe her eyes.

_Heath and I are just friends, nothing more. You're the one that set this whole fake romance up anyway. What are we supposed to do?_

He didn't reply and Joey was devastated. Finally she dragged herself up the stairs. She was surprised to see Grandpa Stan waiting at the top.

"You okay?" he looked her up and down.

Joey wiped her eyes.

"Yes sir. I…"

"I heard what you said down there. Don't mean to be nosy but noise travels through them pipes. I understand if you've got other business to attend to. Heath, you heard this little girl. She needs a ride to Huntington."

Heath's eyes widened.

"No way. Grandpa…"

"Boy, don't you talk back. Now that's no way to treat company. If she wants to go, you should take her."

Heath swallowed hard.

"With all due respect, sir, I am got going to do that. I'm sorry."

The old man sucked his teeth.

"Fine then. I'll take her."

"Grandpa…"

The older man would hear none of the protesting. He went to grab his coat until his granddaughter stepped in.

"It's okay, Granddaddy. If Joey wants to go to Huntington, I'll drive her," Aubrey volunteered.

And so it was settled and the only way Grandpa Stan would take no for an answer. An angry Heath watched as Joey and Aubrey loaded Joey's bags into the back of Aubrey's little Toyota and headed for the road that led them to the Interstate.

"Thanks for this," Joey said after an hour or so.

Aubrey stared straight ahead.

"You're welcome. Anything for a friend of Heath's…"

"Um…"

Aubrey smirked.

"I'm not stupid, you know."

"Excuse me?"

"Everybody else may buy it but I don't. I know my brother. I don't know why he's doing it, why he's pretending but y'all aren't together. I can see it in his eyes."

"Aubrey…"

"Heath is a good guy. He loves his family and friends and he'd do anything for us. We're already so proud of him. I don't know why he feels like he has to come home with the trophy girlfriend on his arm. He doesn't have to do that," she said quietly.

"It's not that," Joey sighed.

"What?"

"Heath and I are just friends. My real boyfriend is another wrestler but he's married. I know that sounds bad but he doesn't love his wife and he's getting a divorce. Anyway, our bosses found out and we got in trouble. So to cover our asses, my boyfriend said that Heath and I were the real couple. Heath went along with it because he's a nice guy and he didn't want to see us get in any trouble but now he is just as caught up as we are. If they find out the truth, they might be just as mad that he lied."

"So my big brother works his butt off to make his dream come true and now it's all on the line because you want to carry on with some married guy?"

"I…it's not like that."

Aubrey shook her head.

"Poor Heath. No wonder he looks so stressed."

"Heath is a good guy, a good friend but he doesn't understand what Stu and I have. No one does. Look, I appreciate everything he has done for me. I know I get on his nerves and yeah, maybe I was asking for a lot this time but I had no other choice. Besides, it's not like he couldn't wait to get rid of me anyway."

Aubrey chuckled.

"Then you really don't know my brother, do you?"

"What do you mean?"

"He's a nice guy but he wouldn't do such a big favor for just anybody. And I've seen the way he looks at you. He really cares about you."

Joey sat stunned for a moment.

"No…"

"Yes. Trust me. I know my brother. And it's a shame, too. Obviously you don't give a crap about him and that sucks because he deserves better. You know, on the road with all those fast tail girls throwing themselves at all the wrestlers, me and Mama used to sit back and worry because we wanted to make sure Heath surrounded himself with good people, genuine people. We hoped he would fall for a good girl who was gonna love him and treat him right, not just use him. Looks like we were wrong."

"I'm not using Heath."

"Maybe not for his money but you're taking advantage of a really kind person."

Fighting back tears, Joey stared out at the window.

"I…I just wanted a ride…"

"You know why he wouldn't give you one? The same reason I wouldn't let Grandpa Stan drive you up here. We are very close to him, he practically raised us. And he's getting old and forgetful and we thought it was normal but…but it's not. The doctors say he has Alzheimer's and it has gotten a lot worse in the past few months. It seems to be moving faster than it should. Anyway, church at Thanksgiving has always been kind of our thing. It was important to Heath to get here and do it this year because…because it might be the last year that Grandpa remembers."

The younger girl looked straight ahead but Joey could swear she was wiping away tears. And suddenly it all made sense. Joey bit at her lip.

"I…I had no idea. He never said anything…"

Aubrey looked right at her.

"He shouldn't have to, should he?"

Feeling a lump form in her throat, Joey remained silent even as her cell phone buzzed again. It was another text from Stu.

_Still waiting. Hope your arse makes that flight in time. This has cost me enough money already. All you had to do was make it to the airport and you couldn't even do that right._

Exhaling, she tried to keep her composure. She already felt like the world's biggest piece of scum and the last thing she needed was for Stu Bennett to make her feel worse. The thing was, he couldn't even if he was trying and he was trying hard. Joey had done a lot of things wrong in her life but she had never felt more self centered and discourteous. Heath had been a great friend to her and she had been nothing but a burden to him. And what if his feelings did run deeper? No, that couldn't be. It was all too much but one thing was for certain. The little excursion to Pineville, West Virginia had been a true awakening.


	23. A Good Night

"As we come together on this special day to praise God and spend time with our loved ones and reflect on what we are thankful for, let me give recognition to a very special person in attendance tonight. He is visiting but he is not a visitor. He's someone I watched grow from a wiry young boy to the fine man he is today. He is Pineville's favorite son and we're all very proud of him. Please stand up, Brother Heath."

Heath Miller stood proudly from his spot in the third pew of the church he had grown up in. There was light applause and he turned and waved. Proud smiles beamed from the faces of his beloved mother and grandmother and that instantly made Heath feel good on the inside. He gave a polite nod to the preacher, Reverend Smith. More than just the family pastor, the older man had been a true mentor and source of inspiration for Heath throughout his growing years. And when Heath had left his West Virginia roots to follow his dream in Atlanta, Rev Smith had given him a small bottle of annointing oil. The two had clapsed hands and prayed over it. Heath had never been a particularly religious man but he was very spiritual and he did believe in God. He appreciated the gift and had kept it close to his body and heart at all times during his many travels over the years. It had protected him and he always remembered to keep it near in times of prayer.

The choir stood and began to sing a hymn that brought a smile to Heath's face as he remembered being a little boy in church with his grandparents. The face of the congregation had changed and time had brought more diversity to the small southern Baptist church. The choir, young and old, male and female, composed of different races and ethnicities began to sing Leaning On The Everlasting Arms at a faster pace. Heath looked over and as his grandfather clapped his hands, it brought tears to his eyes. He knew he was blessed to share that moment with his family. When the front doors opened again, the chill of the Novemeber night air filtered in through the small church and Heath turned his head. He smiled as he saw his sister, Aubrey coming inside. He waved her to the front but a look of utter shock overcame him as Aubrey moved out of the way to reveal someone else. Standing awkwardly in the background was Joey El. Aubrey joined her family and just winked at her brother who was still open mouthed. Joey approached the pew as the Miller's smiled at her and let her have a place next to Heath.

"What are you doing here?" he whispered. "What happened to your flight?"

She gave him a small smile and shrugged.

"Plans change."

Peering over, Joey looked at Heath's family. They were good people, a tight knit bunch made of good stock and suddenly she knew where her good friend got it from. Watching the love he had for them, especially his ailing grandfather brought tears to her eyes. She hadn't been in a church since her own mother had died and it felt a little awkward but she blew it off and began following suit and clapping her hands. The last thing she wanted was to feel out of place but based on the huge grin Heath flashed her, she was right at home.

After church, the family headed back home where Ace was anxiously waiting on them. They gathered in the small dining area and held hands as Grandma Pearl led the grace. Then they dug in. It was a true traditional Southern meal, something Joey wasn't used to but she let out a sigh and decided to take a chance. Whatever they piled on her plate, she tasted. Some of it was good and some of it not so good but it was a nice family dinner. Joey even found herself enjoying some of those infamous beans. After dessert, she was stuffed as everyone migrated to the living room where they sang songs and played games for hours. From the moment of their arrival Joey had felt uncomfortable but all inhibitions had quickly gone by the wayside the moment she climbed off her high horse and let her hair down. They were a fun and down to earth bunch and she was actually having fun. After helping the Miller women clean the kitchen and put away the leftovers, a tired Joey retreated back to the basement. She took a long, hot shower and changed into pajama bottoms and a tee shirt. She dried her long hair and climbed into the bed. Pulling the sheets up to her chin, she couldn't help but smile as she thought of the good time she'd had.

"Hey."

Joey looked up. It was Heath.

"Hey you," she smiled.

He took a seat on the foot of the bed and handed her a cup.

"My mom sent this down to you. Try it."

"What is it?" she made a face.

"It's lime sherbert punch. Grandma Pearl mixes the sherbert with Sprite. Sounds kind of weird but just taste some. It's the bomb, naw mean?"

She ate a little from her spoon and moaned out loud.

"Mmmm, so good."

Heath couldn't help but smile.

"Glad you like know, it was pretty cool to see you expand your culinary horizons today," he joked. "You got down with the soul food and everything. Shocking but still cool."

Joey shrugged.

"What can I say?"

"Nobody in the locker room will actually believe that Joey El ate chitterlings…and liked them. Do you even know what part of the pig that is?"

"Heath Miller, if you tell anybody that, I will deny it then kill you," she laughed. "Besides, they tasted okay…once you get used to that awful smell. And no, please spare me knowing for sure what part of the pig that actually is. Based on that odor, I can only imagine."

"Your secret is safe with me, babe. As long as you had a good time."

"I did," she looked right at him.

"You never told me. What ended up happening to your trip? Why didn't you go to Colorado to meet Stu?"

Joey shrugged.

"I just decided not to go, it's no big deal. Aubrey was driving me to the airport and all of a sudden I realized that you were right. I guess I have been a selfish little bitch and that's not fair. You've done so much for me, Heath, you deserve better, more respect. I don't know. I guess I felt bad or guilty or whatever but I realized that I didn't want to spend my days off getting belittled and yelled at by Stu or just having random sex with a guy that's probably having sex with his wife when he's not on the road with me. I'd rather be surrounded by good people so I asked Aubrey to turn the car around and she did. The rest they say is history."

"That…that's pretty cool, Joey."

"I owe you an apology…"

"It's okay."

"No, it's not. I have been a real pain in your ass and you've been a real prince about it. That's not right. Sometimes even I don't know how you put up with me. And I should have had more consideration for this time with your family. Aubrey told me about your grandfather and the Alzheimer's…"

Heath looked away.

"It sucks but he's tough. It's gonna be okay."

"I know it is."

"Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Don't feel sorry for us, him or me."

"I don't feel sorry for you, Heath. I just appreciate how much you care about your family. It's sweet. Your grandfather is a nice man and I'm sorry he, that your family has to go through this."

"Thanks," he said.

"If you ever need anything, even if it's just to talk, I'm here for you, okay?"

"I appreciate it, Joey. That's real nice of you."

"Anytime."

"So what did Stu have to say about you not coming out?" he asked.

"I don't know," she had another spoonful of lime punch.

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I don't know because I didn't tell him."

"You didn't tell him?"

"Nope. I just turned my phone off and ignored his texts and calls. I guess he figured it out by now."

Heath chuckled.

"He's gonna have a fit. Seriously, Joey. He's gonna kill you."

"Probably so but he'll get over it."

"You're a wild girl, you know that?" he shook his head. "Part of what makes you such a headache is why I like you so much."

"It'll be okay but um, in addition to thanking you for being such an awesome friend and having my back and saving my ass all the time, I wanted to say thanks for something else."

"What?"

"For bringing me here. I know it was under complete duress but um, it turned out to be fun. I don't have that in my life. It's just Lay and me. I love my sister to death but I forgot what it's like to have a family around you. So thanks. Even though I was the guest from hell at first, your sister and your mom and your grandparents and neighbors have been nothing but sweet to me. They've gone out of their way to make me feel welcome and comfortable. It really means a lot. For what it's worth, I had a really nice time and I'm glad I came. This was probably the best Thanksgiving ever."

He looked in her eyes and could tell she was being sincere.

"I'm glad, Joey."

"And," her eyes danced. "Tomorrow, I'm gonna go shopping with Valene and Aubrey. That's pretty exciting. Not looking forward to getting up at three in the morning but I never turn down a chance to shop."

Heath frowned.

"The Black Friday tradition. Man, you guys go ahead. Getting elbowed by old ladies over the discounted toasters and DVD players is not my idea of a fun day off. Good luck with that."

"It'll be different besides I like them. I'm just happy they invited me," Joey said as she finished her treat and let Heath discard both their cups in the waste basket.

He stood and stripped down to his underwear. Joey's head was on the pillow and she pretended to not be paying attention but she couldn't help but sneak a few glances. Heath was ginger, complete with red hair and a spray of freckles all over his body but he was still able to tan. And his chest and abs were perfectly sculpted. Combined with his goofy, easygoing personality, he was a pretty attractive guy. Why had it taken her so long to notice that?

"Quit peeking," he teased.

"I am not," she protested. "Shut up."

He smirked as he walked over to the bed and plopped in.

"You want me. And it's cool, babe. I'm used to it. What can I say? All the chicks dig me. It's a curse."

Joey rolled her eyes as they turned the lights off. It had been a long and eventful day it had turned out pretty good in the end. She was happy. As she cozied up into the warmth of the covers, she turned on her side and saw Heath resting peacefully next to her. In her head, she made up the excuse that it was still dangerously cold so it was neccesary to share some more of that body heat. Quietly she scooted next to her bed mate, spooning him from the outside as she casually draped a smaller arm around him. He smelled great and the heavenly scent of his cologne lulled her off to sleep.

"Good night, Heath," she whispered, letting her tired eyelids close.

A few inches away, still quietly awake, he couldn't help but smile as he heard the even breathing of her sleep.

"Good night, Joey."


	24. It's Complicated

PJ Lloyd rambled on a mile a minute about the upcoming match he and Heath had defending their tag team championship titles. When it came to wrestling, normally Heath Miller was all business but he couldn't help but be distracted by the scene he saw in the ring just a few feet away. Joey was inside, working on conditioning. Dressed in a tee shirt and short work out shorts that hugged the curve of her ass perfectly, he could't help but notice how long and sleek her legs were. But in addition to that, she looked great in the ring. She was doing two minute interval drills, working the ropes, running back and forth. Joey El was a dominant force inside the squared circle and one of the top female competitors in their sport. When she took a break, he looked up and gave her a shy smile, tossing a cold unopened bottled water in the ring. Joey caught it and returned his smile, even as Heath desperately tried to pay attention to what his partner was saying.

"Hey man, that's Barbie calling," PJ glanced down at his phone. "I need to talk to her, do you mind if I take this?"

"Huh?" Heath asked. "Oh yeah. Go ahead, dude."

PJ excused himself as Heath watched Joey towel off. The goofy grin was still spread across his face. They were fresh off their Thanksgiving holiday in West Virginia. The trip had started off as a disaster but had ended up as one of Heath's best visits home in a long time. He missed his family dearly and was happy to spend time with them but it had been nice spending time with Joey as well. It had taken a day or two but in the end she had fit right in with the Miller clan like a comfy old glove. His family really liked her and she had liked them too. Besides, she was cool when she wasn't being all whiny, complaining, spoiled and clueless. And very pretty too.

Joey had ended up bailing on her Colorado ski vacation with Stu and as expected, her British lover had been furious. The two had been arguing nonstop ever since she had returned. To her credit, Joey seemed unphased and unbothered by his anger but she still engaged him. From the corner of his eye, Heath watched as Stu entered the ring in his wrestling gear under the guise of prepping for the match even though the red headed Superstar knew that the Nexus leader wanted nothing more than to pick yet another fight with his on again off again girlfriend. It wasn't his business and it wasn't his place but just the sight of it made Heath's jaw tighten.

"Hey man, what's going on?"

Heath turned to see Windham Rotunda approaching him. Pulling his trucker hat over his eyes, he set down his gym bag.

"Hey man," Heath nodded.

"I just got the notes that we're coming with y'all to the ring tonight and intefering at the end. I guess we can play that part by ear. You and PJ work out all the spots yet?"

Heath was still looking at the interaction in the ring.

"What?"

Windham's eyes narrowed.

"The match tonight."

"Oh yeah. We got it. PJ and me are working on it. Everything is good."

"Okay," Windham nodded. "You alright?"

"Yeah. Yeah, why?"

"Nothing, you just look like you got a lot on your mind, that's all."

"Nah. I'm cool," Heath lied as he watched Stu tersely whispering into Joey's ear.

"Looks like Bennett's got a bone to pick with your girl," Windham noticed what was going on in the ring.

Heath rolled his eyes.

"That guy is a dick for real. I don't see how or why she puts up with that fool."

Windham's eyes never left the ring.

"You know, where I come from, men don't let other men talk trash to their women," he drawled in his heavy Southern accent.

"They're just working out the match and stuff. She's okay. Joey can handle herself."

"If you say so."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," Windham shrugged.

Heath just shook his head.

"You don't understand."

"It's none of my business."

"True but if you knew…"

"Like I said, none of my business. I was just stating a fact."

Heath sighed. He had been holding in that secret for months and it was weighing on him. Everyone knew that he was closest to PJ but ever since their little crew had come up from FCW into WWE, PJ had been all about his girl, Barbie. Heath was friendly with everyone but the word trust was not something he tossed around lightly. He didn't confide a lot to people but Windham Rotunda was a good guy. He was young but wise and mature and definietly trustworthy. Heath knew if he didn't get the truth off of his chest soon, he might explode.

"I've got to tell you something," he lowered his voice and pulled Windham into a corner. "I haven't breathed a word of this to anyone and you can't either, man. I'm not messing around. This is some serious shit."

"Whatever you say stays here, man. You know I'm not into locker room gossip."

Heath took a deep breath.

"You heard about how Stu and Joey used to date?"

"Who hasn't? That was like one of my mama's soap operas."

"This was before you came. They got busted and Stephanie was gonna fire both of them so they had to break up. Turns out, they didn't but nobody knew. Anyway, I was sharing a room with Stu and came in one morning and accidentally walked in on them. Like two seconds later, that annoying Chad kid knocked on the door. He was going to rat them out so Stu said that Joey was really with me."

"You went along with it?"

"Yeah. I didn't know what else to do. Kind of stupid on my part but at the time it seemed like a good idea. I didn't realize we'd have to keep the story going. Well, that's what we've been doing ever since."

"I kind of figured something like that."

"You did?" Heath frowned.

Windham shrugged.

"Yeah. I don't know, something just didn't seem right with the whole thing. But what are you gonna do now?"

"We have to keep it going. If Steph finds out we lied, all our asses are grass. That means Joey and I have to spend a lot of time together. Most of the time she gets on my nerves. She's high maintenace as hell. She's all about shopping and shoes and a bunch of overpriced pocket books that all look alike, if you ask me. Not to be mean but sometimes she ain't exactly the sharpest crayon in the pack, if you get what I'm saying. And the girl will not shut up, I swear to God she talks nonstop, I can't get a word in edgewise. Complains about everything and comes up with the dumbest, most random shit. She drives me crazy and…"

"Now you're crazy about her," Windham cut him right off.

Heath swallowed hard and stopped dead in his tracks. The feelings had come on all of a sudden and he'd had little time to process it for himself, much less anyone else. Now he was being forced to admit it for the first time out loud.

"Yeah," he said softly. "I'm crazy about her."

"Yep. I figured that one, too."

"What the hell, you getting all psychic on me or what?"

Windham chuckled.

"Sounds like you got yourself in a real jam."

"I didn't mean for this to happen, any of it. Hell, by Thanksgiving morning I was ready to commit homicide. But um, she left to meet Stu but she came back. When she did, she was different…it was different. It was nice. It was like I saw her different and I liked that girl that I saw. We had fun and my family loved her and my grandpa is sick and she was just so good with him."

"But now you're back in the real world. What are you gonna do now?"

"That's a good question. Hell if I know."

"You like her and she might even like you back but judging by the looks of things in that ring, them two still got unresolved issues. Stu is an ass and he probably is not thinking about that poor girl. She deserves better but you know he ain't gonna take it lying down if he finds out she's in to another dude, especially you. And knowing you, you ain't gonna take much more of him treating her like crap. Sounds to me like it's only a matter of time before this whole mess just blows up."

Heath hated to admit it but his friend was right.

"I like her but I can handle that. I can even put that on the back burner. The main thing is, she needs to get away from that guy."

Windham looked on as Stu continued to berate Joey.

"No argument there."

A few minutes later, one of the referees came to the ring and asked to speak to Stu about the upcoming show. He reluctantly agreed and that was Joey's one chance for an out. She quietly slipped out of the ring and towards the backstage area. Heath quickly and quietly followed.

"Joey!" he called out after her. "Joey!"

She stopped and turned and gave a small smile.

"Hey Heath."

"You alright?"

"I'm fine. Just gonna hit the showers, then get ready for the show tonight. My sister should be here soon."

"I'm not talking about that."

"What are you talking about?"

He rolled his eyes.

"Don't play dumb. You and Stu. I saw y'all in there. He looked pretty pissed off."

"What else is new? He is still bitching about Thanksgiving and I'm tired of beating a dead horse. Gosh, he is so impossible sometimes."

Heath decided to test the waters.

"We knew he would be pissed but who knew he'd flip out like this? You probably would have been better off just going to meet him."

"No, I wouldn't have," she answered without missing a beat. "Anyway, I'm glad I stayed with you. Pineville was nice, surprisingly. I had a good time. I'm happy I went."

He tried not to cheese all over himself.

"I'm happy, too," he replied.

"Anyway, he is going on and on asking if something happened between you and me."

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him we're just keeping up with the ridiculous lie he started."

"Are you guys still together?"

Joey sighed.

"It's…"

"Complicated. I know," Heath finished her sentence with a heavy heart.

"I am tired of his bullshit but I just don't feel like arguing, you know? Everything is such a dramatic tragedy when it comes to him, Jesus, I swear he is worse than a woman sometimes. Anyway, I didn't tell him about us sleeping in the same bed and if he asks you, please don't tell him, okay?"

Heath cleared his throat.

"Of course not."

"Anyway, I have to go. If you need me, just shoot me a text or something. I'll be hiding out in the female locker room, the one place where he can't bug me. I'll see you before the show."

"Yeah…see you."

Heath nodded as she walked away. He regretted being involved in the whole situation but he was knee deep now more than ever. And the last thing he felt like dealing with was Stu Bennett's tantrums and accusations. On top of that, he was liking Joey more and more and the feelings weren't going away. It was crazy, she was the opposite of everything he usually found attractive. Sure she was gorgeous on the outside but he generally gravitated more towards intelligent, sweet, strong minded, low maintance girls. Joey exasperated him to no end but he couldn't stop thinking about her which only further made matters worse. Sighing to himself, he headed back to the ring. Things were definietly complicated.


	25. Good Guys And Bad Guys

Joey looked up from the latest edition of Cosmo magazine when she heard a knock at the door of her hotel room. She had just gotten in and there would be a show in the local arena in a few hours. Until it was time to go, she had planned on relaxing with her magazine and cup of Italian Ice before taking a shower and heading over. Standing on the tips of her toes, Joey frowned when she couldn't see out the peephole. She slowly opened the door and looked around, still not seeing anyone. As her head craned to the left, she let out a yelp when she felt a pair of massive hands grabbing her waist from the right. She was dragged inside the room and the door slammed behind them.

"You look quite fetching when you scared," grinned Stu Bennett.

Joey broke away from his grasp and put her hand over her heart as she struggled to catch her breath and regain a normal breathing pattern.

"Stu, are you crazy?" she huffed. "Gosh, you scared the shit out of me. That's not funny!"

"Forgive me, love, I was just horsing around," he winked, taking her in his strong arms. "I missed you."

His voice was low and husky.

"What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't stay away. I wanted to see you," he looked right in her eyes.

"You shouldn't have come," Joey shifted.

"What?"

"You heard me. It's not smart or safe. Anyone could have seen you."

"Rubbish. I was careful," Stu pulled her closer and began nibbling on her neck.

Joey manuevered completely out of his embrace.

"Stu…"

"What's wrong now? Tell me you aren't still sore about our quarrel the other day?"

Joey rolled her eyes.

"Which one?"

She was obviously sulking and even though he hated when that happened, he gave her a sexy smirk as he dead bolted the door behind him. He pulled her close, letting his hands graze over the smooth, bare skin of her sides. His lips attacked her neck and he let out a low growl, grabbing her hand and guiding it to the swelling bulge that was growing in the crotch of his jeans.

"Do you feel that, Johana?" he breathed. "That's all because of you. That's all for you."

His lips felt good but Joey squirmed away from him and unlatched the door.

"You should go," she said as she straightened her clothes.

Crimson washed over Stu's face just as soon as the look of utter confusion left it.

"What is it now?" he demanded, raising his voice. "What the bloody hell seems to be your malfunction this time?"

"Nothing. It's just that I don't feel like making out right now, that's all."

"You've never felt that way before."

Joey shrugged.

"Things change. People change, Stu."

He folded his arms.

"Exactly what kind of changes are you talking about? There seem to be a lot of changes taking place right under my nose, Johana, especially since you returned from your little excursion in West Virginia."

"What are you talking about?"

She turned her back to walk away but he stopped her with the tug of her arm.

"Why don't you enlighten me?" he said roughly.

"Please get your hands off of me."

Stu reluctantly obliged.

"What the hell is going on?" he followed her further into the room.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Did something happen between you and Heath?"

"What? No! No, of course not. Why would you even ask about something like that? Heath and I are just friends and he has been nothing but loyal by keeping up this ridiculous charade of a story you created. We went to West Virginia and he introduced me to his family who were really sweet to me. It was a nice Thanksgiving and that's it. I don't know what else you want to hear."

"And your reasoning for standing me up in Colorado?"

"I already told you," she sighed. "It took a little longer than expected for Heath's sister to take me to the airport. I missed the flight and cell coverage was really spotty in that whole area so I couldn't call you or anybody."

The truth was, she had suddenly developed a conscience and had started to feel bad about the way she had treated Heath. That guilt had somehow trumped her wanting to spend a romantic weekend with her boyfriend. But she couldn't tell Stu that so instead she had made up a story to pacify him. It was her lie and she was sticking to it. Stu looked her over skeptically and she couldn't tell if he was buying it or not.

"And he didn't touch you or try to make a move on you while you were there?"

"No. Heath isn't like that. He is and always has been a perfect gentleman, now can we please just drop this? I don't know what else there is to talk about."

"We could start by talking about why you're being so frigid with me as of late?" he leaned in and let his index finger trail from her lips to her chin to the warm valley between her breasts.

"I just don't want to."

"You've never not wanted to before."

"Well things are different now."

"Because of Heath?"

"No because of you and because of your wife, Stu."

"Nonsense. What does Jacqueline have to do with this?"

"She has everything to do with this. I love you and I can't, I won't deny that but that love has blinded me and made me really stupid this last year. You don't love me, Stu…I get that now. You never say it and you only show it when we're in bed or when you're trying to get me in bed. And you're never going to leave her."

"Yes, I am," he got angry. "I…"

"You make all these empty promises and then what? Every time there is a WWE function or one of our co-workers has a get together, there you are with a beaming Jackie on your arm. As much as it hurts and pisses me off and just literally tears me up on the inside, I have to realize the truth. You're lying to me and you're lying to her and who knows, you're maybe even lying to yourself. I don't know, Stu. All I do know is this is too much. You're too much. What is on the line as far as the careers we are risking is too much. I need to, I have to take a step back."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I love you very much but I can't do this anymore. I'm done, Stu, and I mean it this time. I want out. We're over."

And there it was. In times of drama and arguments it was an idle threat both had launched against each other as their greatest weapon of offense. But there had been no fight, no triggering incident this time. Joey had simply come to a realization and though it surprised her as the words tumbled out of her mouth, she had meant them and she stood by them. As she waited for his response, time seemed to stand still. Stu said nothing but his nostrils flared and the rage practically poured off him. With clenched fists he stared her down before hauling off and drawing back. The former bare knuckled champion let his right hook crash hard against the side of her face. The impact was devastating. The sheer force alone took Joey off her feet. She fell backwards over a table, taking a lamp and telephone with her as she went down. Joey landed with a thud on the floor, whimpering as she placed a trembling hand to her throbbing jaw.

"You bitch," he snarled, standing over her. "Filthy whore bitch."

Joey cowered in the corner, afraid to get up. He had been angry with her plenty of times and this was not the first time it had gotten physical but nothing had ever escalated to that degree. Fear consumed her and she had no idea what he was going to do next. With her heart pounding, she forgot to breathe when she heard a key card at the door and it opened.

"Hey man," Heath mumbled to Stu, walking inside the room and not even bothering to look up.

He dropped his gym bag on the floor and it was then that his eyes caught Joey's. He saw her crying on the floor, trembling as her face was already starting to bruise. Judging by Stu's threatening stance, it did not take long for the red headed man to put two and two together.

"Heath," Joey cried out.

He reached out to touch her, to comfort her but there were bigger fish to fry. He sprang to his feet and turned to face the man who had been his partner in the ring for years.

"What happened here, Stu? What the fuck did you just do?"

"This is no concern of yours," Stu grumbled, giving him an icy blue stare.

"The hell it's not. Did you just hit her?"

"Get out of my face."

Heath stood his ground.

"She is a woman. You think you're a bad ass because you just hit a woman? Where I come from, that doesn't make you a tough guy. It makes you a punk. Now you think you did something because you knocked her down? Why don't you try knocking me down?"

Stu smirked.

"My pleasure."

The two men collided like bulls in a scuffle of arms, legs, and muffled curses. Joey closed her eyes and brought her knees to her chest as the door opened again and the next sight she saw was the burly figure of Windham Rotunda.

"Stop it!" he commanded in his heavy accent. "Break it up, now!"

They weren't listening to his words but physically his bear claw like hands were able to break up the confrontation in an instant. Breathless, red faced, mad as hell and still bound and determined to finish what they had started, Windham kept the two foes at bay.

"You will regret this…both of you," Stu warned, wiping away the blood that had started to trickle from his bottom lip.

"If I catch you near Joey again, I am gonna tear your ass apart," Heath warned.

"I said stop it," Windham spoke louder. "Stu, we're leaving now. Heath, take care of her. Whatever is going on, we better squash it right now and leave it here before anyone else, mainly Stephanie catches wind of this."

They knew he was right. Stu stormed out with Windham and they shut the door behind him. Heath rushed right over to Joey.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she made her way to a standing position.

A few stray tears had managed to fall down her cheeks but she quickly wiped them away. Reaching for her bag, she grabbed her compact and began mixing concealer and foundation in order to cover the large mark.

"Joey…"

"It's okay. This will cover it up. Nobody will know…"

"Joey," Heath said in a softer tone as he gingerly took the makeup from her hand and sat it down.

He turned her to face him. Her entire body quivered and she couldn't look at him. Putting one arm around her, he used his free hand to tilt her chin up so that they were face to face, eyes staring into each other.

"Oh Heath," she was on the verge of breaking down.

He broke away only to wet a wash rag with cold water and gently apply it to her face.

"You alright?" he tenderly touched it. "Are any of the bones broken?"

She flinched at the feel of him.

"No. I, I don't think so."

"Bastard," Heath spat. "I am gonna kill his ass."

"Please don't."

"He results to beating up on defenseless women and I'm supposed to be cool with that? Hell no."

"But you heard what Windham said and he's right. We can't let this get out. Yeah, Stu was wrong, dead wrong but we can't tell anybody and you can't go after him. It'll only make things worse. Heath, you have to promise me. Please," she begged him.

He chewed on his lip, going against all of his better judgment.

"Fine," he conceded. "Right off the bat, I want you to know I don't agree with any of this."

"I know. I don't either but we have no other choice."

Heath was so angry he thought he might spontaneously combust but when Joey pulled him by the shirt and leaned her head into his chest, his heart couldn't help but soften.

"I'm sorry, babe," he sighed, holding her close. "It's gonna be okay."

She looked up and winced.

"Dammitt, he really clocked me a good one," she rubbed her face. "Is there some sort of handbook that gives guys instructions exactly how and where to hit a girl where it does the most damage?"

She was half joking through her tears. Heath used his thumb to wipe away the remainder of her tears.

"Not all guys hit," he said quietly. "Remember that, Joey."

She looked up and their eyes met. It was the perfect moment for their faces to slowly come together but instead he just cradled her head into the crook of his arm and held her while she sobbed.


	26. Reality Check

So much had changed for Joey El in just the course of a month. Shortly before the Thanksgiving holiday, she had been desperately and hopelessly in love with a married co-worker who was simply stringing her along. She would have done anything in the world for Stuart Bennett and she naively believed every word that tumbled out of his mouth. A forced trip to a small town had changed everything. Joey had been sent to Pineville, West Virginia kicking and screaming but it turned out to be one of the most fun times in her life. It was nice to be in the company of a close knit and loving family and the vacation had also showcased her friend and fellow Nexus member, Heath Miller in a new light.

Along the way she had woken up. She was a woman fed up, tired of Stu's lies and excuses. She no longer wanted to be the other woman. She had bravely ended things with him but his anger had exploded in a physically violent way that she had not expected. It had been scary and heartbreaking all at the same time. She cared about him but she no longer wanted to be involved in a seedy affair with him and the Englishman had not taken the news of rejection well. Joey had been left with the physical marks to prove it.

That fateful confrontation had forever changed things. For Joey it solidified her not wanting to be in a relationship with Stu. It also put a newfound fear in her heart. It had also driven a wedge between the members of the group that could not be repaired. FCW had bred friendships and partnerships as young men and women bonded in the process of pursuing their lifelong dreams. NXT had only brought them closer but as their journey continued in the WWE, Stu's ego had only grown further and furthe out of control, thus alienating the other members who were once his friends. They had respected him but his physical abuse of a woman had changed the game for Heath and Windham. Their chemistry remained onscreen but the minute they were behind the Gorilla and away from cameras, the other members left him be.

In Las Vegas, just a week and half before the 25th of December, the powers that be had decided to hold a holiday party for both the RAW and Smackdown brands as well as the FCW guys and Corporate brasses in Connecticut. Of course Heath and Joey were expected to make appearances as were the other real life couples but in the weeks leading up to the party, something had changed for Heath as well. In addition to a newfound hatred for Stu, his feelings for Joey had also shifted. He had felt an unusually powerful and overwhelming need to protect her. They had been getting along better and he had started to mind less and less putting on the kayfabe of their faux romance. By the time the company Christmas party rolled around, he was actually looking forward to it.

He was the One Man Rock Band, the Ginja Ninja, cocky and sexy, the playful jokester who took nothing seriously. The ladies loved him and always Miller had no problem picking up chicks and an adoring fan base of ring rats had been no exception. He was the master of flirtation and had always been comfortable with those of the opposite sex but as he came out of the shower of the suite he was sharing with Joey, butterflies had filled his stomach. He had tried to be casual with it, asking Joey if she wanted to spend time together before the party. He didn't know exactly what it was but he was feeling something and he hoped she was too. But apparently he had been mistaken. Just as casually she had turned him down, stating she was going to spend the day with her sister and get ready in Layla's room and they would meet in the lobby of the casino then head over in the limo together. Heath had hid his disappointment behind that million watt smile and susbsequently made plans to hang out with Greg "Trent Baretta" Marasciulo and gamble a little bit before the evening's festivities. The two old friends had had a blast before calling it a night when it was time to get ready. Heath buttoned his dress shirt and reached for the matching tie when he heard fumbling at the door. Frowning, he walked over to it and opened it. He was surprised to see Joey standing on the other side. Her hair was up and she wore a fitted black dress that stopped above her knees. The high heels made her long legs seem to go on for miles.

"Hey," he said.

She shrugged.

"I forgot my key."

"What else is new?" he teased. "What's up? I thought you were hanging with Layla tonight."

"I am. I mean, I was but um…I, I wanted to talk to you."

"About?"

"What you said earlier. Us hanging out, then going to the party together."

Heath hoped his face hadn't turned bright red.

"Yeah, about that…it was just a thought. No big deal."

She made a face.

"Were you asking me out on a date?"

Heath laughed out loud.

"A date? You? Me? Nah…come on. Girl, get out of here."

"Okay," she nodded. "But just curious, what did you have in mind?"

He swallowed hard.

"It's too late now but I was thinking about these little moonlit cruises I read about and then we could watch the view of the city from the deck at the Stratosphere tower. It's pretty cool up there. I was gonna suggest dinner cause they have some nice restaurants around but they're serving food at the party so…"

Joey folded her arms. It was her turn to smirk.

"Wow. Moonlit cruises, romantic views…sounds kind of like a date to me, Miller."

"In your dreams girl. Get out of here."

She licked her lips as she entered the room and watched him finish getting ready.

"It sounded nice…just so you know. I would have loved to have gone, so long as it wasn't a date."

Heath tried not to grin.

"Maybe next time, babe…if you're lucky."

"What about this time?" she asked.

Heath was taken off guard.

"We don't have time…"

"Maybe not for everything but the view sounds nice. Besides, the office party will still be waiting for us whenever we get there."

Heath tied his tie.

"Okay," he replied casually. "Sounds cool."

He finished dressing and the two made their way downstairs to the waiting limosuine. They made small talk during the short ride but there was a feeling of shyness and nerves the pair had never felt before. As they stood atop the deck and enjoyed the magnificent view of the whole city, there was a comfortable banner between them.

"It's so pretty up here," she commented.

A breeze blew and she shuddered, causing Heath to remove his suit jacket and wrap it around her bare arms.

"Yeah, it's nice. Views like this…a scrawny kid growing up in Pineville, this is not the kind of stuff you see everyday but I don't have to tell you that."

"You know, I never got a chance to thank you," she sighed.

"What for?"

"I already told you West Virginia and Thanksgiving was great. I had a good time, Heath but afterwards with Stu…"

"That guy is such a dick," he angrily grumbled.

"You really had my back and I appreciate that. Thanks."

"It wasn't enough. I just wish there was more I could do."

"You've helped me a lot, more than enough."

"I'm just sorry you had to go through that. No man ever has a right to put his hands on a woman like that. That kind of violence makes me sick to my stomach."

"I know. Me too. It's just embarassing."

"Joey, you don't have a reason to feel embarrassed."

"Yes, I do. I put myself in that situation. The whole thing is just wrong anyway. How many times have you said yourself that I shouldn't be messing around with a married man?"

"You shouldn't but there is no need to throw that in your face now. Besides, I don't care how wrong you were, that still gave him no right to punch you in the face."

"Thanks. I just…I don't know how long we can keep up with this whole Nexus thing, you know? I mean, it is great for our careers and we're really going over with the fans but uh, I don't know how much longer I can take it."

"I know how you feel," he sighed.

"You do?"

"Yeah. Don't get me wrong. I love my job. I love working with my friends but Stu has really put a damper on shit. He brings down the whole group, if you ask me but the guy's in ring and mic skills are undeniable. He is good for Nexus and there is no way we can get rid of him but other than that, his presence is toxic."

"I know."

He studied the sad expression on her face. Neither spoke for a while then it was time to head to the party. They made their way back to the strip to the Palms Hotel where the McMahon's holiday gig was in full swing. Arm in arm, Joey and Heath walked into the room, smiling as they greeted their friends, bosses and co-workers. As they mingled further into the crowd, Joey stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Stu with his wife, Jackie. Her breath caught in her throat and it didn't take Heath long to figure out the source of her apprehension. He held her hand a little tighter, waiting for her next move that was interrupted when the two were approached by Jean-Paul "Triple H" Levesque and his wife, Stephanie.

"Heath," Paul nodded. "Joey, you're looking lovely."

He placed a kiss on her cheek.

"Thank you."

"Well, well, well," Stephanie folded her arms. "If it isn't the WWE's golden couple."

Paul shifted uncomfortably.

"Babe, lay off," he whispered in her ear.

"I was just coming to say hello and spread the holiday cheer."

"We appreciate it," Heath cleared his throat. "It's good to see the both of you."

"Likewise," Stephanie's eyes looked upward. "Well, how about that? Mistletoe."

She moved out of the way giving Stu a closer look. He was sullen face and all eyes. Smirking, Heath leaned in and pulled Joey close. He tilted her chin and lowered his lips softly onto hers, massaging them before parting them with his tongue. It was a sweet, soulful, passionate kiss that left Joey gasping for air when he pulled away. Pulling her husband away, Stephanie left as Stu downed another shot of whiskey, grasping the glass so hard that it almost shattered in his grip. Straigtening his jacket and looking dead at Stu, Heath excused himself to the restroom.

Joey was stunned. What had just happened? The Pineville trip? The sublte flirting afterwards? Heath coming to her rescue when Stu had attacked her? The proposal of what sounded like a date and now a kiss underneath the mistletoe? Sure Stephanie had put them on the spot so they had to do act fast but there was something about that kiss that was different. It felt as real as it looked and Heath had broken the one rule Joey had set forth from the beginning…no tongue.

There was little time to ponder. As dutiful employees, they were there to participate in the McMahon's dog and pony show. There was delicious food, plentiful conversations, music, dancing and even a generous cash bonus courtesy of the first family of professional wrestling. It was a good time and much to Heath's surprise and happiness, Joey had barely paid attention to Stu and his wife all night. There were no outbursts or demands that he take her home. She was relaxed and in a great mood. They were the last ones to leave and utterly exhausted by the time they got back to their own hotel. Both changed into bed clothes and exchanged shy smiles as they crawled underneath the cool sheets of the king sized bed. Heath reached over and turned off the lights.

"Night, Joey," he yawned.

"Heath?"

"Yeah?"

"At the party…that kiss. What, what was that?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. It felt…it felt kind of real."

He smirked in the darkness.

"What is real?" he asked.

When she didn't respond, he turned on his side, ready for sleep. Losing all control of her thoughts and actions, Joey rolled him back over. She leaned down and attacked his lips, caressing the inside of his mouth with her soft, probing tongue. When she pulled away, it was his turn to be left breathless. Turning on her side, Joey fluffed her pillow and closed her eyes.

"That…that was real."


	27. The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Oatmeal

Joey turned and stirred when she heard a light knock on her bedroom door. She had arrived back in Florida the night before and it was nice to sleep in her own bed in Miami for the few days of Christmas break. By the time she had let herself in, it was a little before midnight and Layla still hadn't gotten in yet. She didn't know her sister's flight schedule but as the door opened, she saw the familiar smile of her older sibling.

"Breakfast!" Layla chirped, entering the room and stepping up onto the bed.

She plopped down beside Joey and folded her bare feet underneath her. In her manicured hands was a tray of oatmeal, scrambled eggs with cheese and a glass of grapefruit juice. Oatmeal. Oatmeal had always been a constant in their lives. They'd had many fights, laughs, and heart to heart discussions in many cities over a bowl of oatmeal.

"What is all this for?" Joey rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"Because I love you and because you are the best little sister in the world and because we haven't gotten to spend a lot of time together lately and I miss you. Are those enough reasons?"

"Well yeah but it is 8:30 in the morning, Lay on our day off."

"And it is also Christmas Eve morning so I thought we would start the day off with breakfast in bed, then go shopping, maybe catch a movie. Tomorrow how about just a lazy day around the house?"

Ever since their move to the States and especially since the death of their mother, the American holidays had been less about tradition and more about the two girls celebrating quietly in their own way. Sometimes they spent those days with friends or whoever they were dating at the time. For the first time in a while, it looked like it was going to be just the two of them.

"Yeah. Um, sounds good, I guess."

"Oh," Layla pouted. "I'm sorry. I forgot."

"Forgot what?" Joey ate a spoonful of oatmeal.

"About Heath. You guys must have plans already. Is he coming here or are you going to Tampa or are you flying back to West Virginia or what?"

"Actually none of the above. Heath is back in Pineville and I am gonna stay here. We'll see each other on the road after the break."

"Oh. That, that's cool. I just thought, I mean, I don't know."

"What?"

"The way you guys looked the other week at the Christmas party. You were so cute and you looked so in love. I just couldn't imagine you two spending the holidays apart."

Joey tried to play it off.

"It's just another day, right? It's no big deal. He is doing the whole family thing and I, um, I didn't want you to be alone."

"Really?" Layla looked right at her.

"Well, yeah. You are my sister and you're right, we don't get enough time together."

"Thank you," Layla smiled with pure emotion in her eyes. "I mean that, Joey. You're a good sister and a good person. I probably don't tell you that enough but you really are. I'm so proud of you and the woman you've become."

"Aw, Lay…"

"Let me finish because I owe you an apology. A big one."

"What for?"

"I was pretty judgemental and pretty hard before about the whole Stu situation."

"It's okay."

"No, it's not. You made a mistake, everybody does. I should have been more supportive. The reason I wasn't was because I was scared for you. I didn't want you to get your heart broken and I didn't want to see you lose your career. I should have known that eventually you would be smart enough to see him for what he really was. I am so sorry I ever doubted that, that I doubted you. I doubted the Heath thing as well but now I see how real it is, how much you two care about each other. You're in a good place now, Joey. You're wiser and stronger. You are my best friend in the whole world and I just want you to know how much you mean to me."

Layla gave her sister an affectionate pat on the arm. In turn, Joey dropped her spoon and dissolved into an hysterical fit of tears.

"Oh Lay…"

"Sweetie, it's alright," Layla drew her in for a hug.

"No," Joey pulled away. "No, it's not. I, I, I don't deserve any of what you just said."

Layla playfully rolled her eyes.

"Of course you do, don't be silly and don't be so modest."

"I'm serious, Lay. I am not a good sister and I am not a good person."

"What are you talking about?"

Joey took a deep breath and tried to collect herself. She looked Layla in the eye.

"I lied to you," she began softly. "I have lied to you about so many things…"

Layla could clearly see that she was becoming undone.

"Joey, whatever it is, we can talk about it. You know I'm always here for you…"

"You were right about Heath at first. We weren't really together. It was all just a cover up so Stu and I wouldn't get in trouble."

Layla's eyes widened. It was the truth she had expected all along but in time she had come to accept her sister's version of events as fact. Hearing her deepest suscpicions being confirmed had thrown her for an emotional loop.

"Oh Joey…"

"When Stephanie busted Stu and me the first time and told us to basically stay away from each other or we'd be fired…well, we both tried but um, we just couldn't resist. We were still together, still having sex for a long time and nobody knew. I was always sneaking away to be with him, lying to you about where I was going and the fact that we were back together. The truth is, I should have felt terrible but I didn't. My feelings for him were too strong and nothing else mattered. When they put me in the Nexus I was on cloud nine, more so because I could spend more time with him. One day we got caught in his room by Steph's assistant. We had missed a big media appearance and we were caught. Like two seconds before that happened, Heath had walked in and he was just as shocked. Anyway, Stu covered it up by saying I was in Heath's bed and that Heath and I had secretly been together this whole time. In the moment, Heath went along with it because he felt sorry for us but later on he was forced to stick with the story because he thought his own career might be in jeopardy."

Layla just shook her head.

"How could you, Joey? God, on so many levels. I mean, what is wrong with you? Carrying on with a married man? Risking your job and selfishly putting other people's on the line? Lying to me and everyone else over and over again. It's like I don't even know you anymore. You were raised so much better than that."

"I'm so sorry. Layla, I am so ashamed…"

"You should be. I just can't believe you're still with Stu and that you two have Heath in the middle of this awful mess. Worst of all, when I look into his eyes, I see something there. He has real feelings for you and you don't even give a damn."

"That's just it. I do give a damn."

"Whatever, Joe…"

"Stu and I aren't together anymore."

"For how long this time? Until he reels you back in with that arrogant charm? For Christ's sake, Joey, grow up."

"I have. I loved Stu a lot and all I wanted was to be with him. He made me so many promises that I believed. It took a long time to realize that it was all just lies and that he had no intention of leaving his wife. He put me through so much crap and after enough times, I just got tired of it."

"You just admitted how much you love him, how much he matters to you and that you've been lying to me for almost a year. How am I supposed to believe anything coming out of your mouth now?"

"Because it's true. I'm really done. My love for Stu was real but my feelings for him are dead now. It took a lot for me to see him for who he was. It took a lot of lies and humiliation and empty promises and finally a punch in the jaw before I saw the light."

"What?" Layla grew angry. "He, he hit you?"

Joey nodded, shame etched across her pretty face.

"It wasn't the first time but it was for sure the worst time…and the last time. That was right after Thanksgiving and I've barely said two words to Stu since."

"And Heath?"

Joey smiled her first real smile.

"Heath is amazing. He has been a great friend and protector to me this whole time. It has been damn near impossible restraining him from trying to kill Stu for all the bad things he has done to me. The other guys don't know the truth, only Windham does and even he doesn't have the full story. But there's definetly tension within the group."

"Wow," Layla sat stunned. "I don't know what to say."

"Looking back, I can see the immature, impossible, selfish, spoiled brat I have been throughout all this. I have given poor Heath hell and through it all, he has been an absolute prince. I couldn't ask for a better friend and I know I haven't always returned the favor. But he has always been there for me, even times when he had every right to walk away."

"He really cares about you," Layla commented softly. "He put a lot on the line for you, Joey. He's a good guy."

"I know that. Did you…um, did you mean what you said earlier about the way he looks at me?"

"Yes. It is more than obvious that he is way into you. What makes all this so weird and hard to understand is I thought you felt the same way."

"Maybe I do," she sighed.

"What do you mean?"

Joey shrugged.

"It's like I woke up one day and saw Heath in a different light," she smiled shyly. "He's really cute, I love the way he is always messing with his hair and running his hands through it, espcially in the ring. He has an awesome body, very sexy. I love the country accent and the way he never takes anything seriously and is always making everybody laugh. He has a caring side too. And he's so passionate about the WWE. He loves God and he loves his family and his friends and what he does. Over Thaksgiving I guess you could say I saw the real Heath. That's the man I got to know and I like him. I mean, how could I not be attracted to him? Every day, every time we're together it's like we get a little closer and that's nice. He takes care of me, Lay, and it feels so good to be taken care of for once. That night in Vegas we hung out before the party and we talked in front of this gorgeous, romantic view. By the time we got to where you guys were, I didn't give two shits about Stu or who he was with. It was all about having a good time and um…it was all about having a good time with Heath. That kiss you saw…it felt real. And that night back in our room when I laid down next to him and asked him, well, I kissed him and that was definitely real."

"Again, wow," Layla just rubbed her temples. "I definitely didn't expect all this. I, I don't know what to say."

"Just say you believe me and that you forgive me. I know I'm asking for a whole lot."

Layla sighed.

"Of course I believe you and I forgive you. You're my sister. It's just that you really hurt me before. With Stu you weren't the real Joey that we all know and love and I never want to see you lose yourself again. Just promise me that."

"I will," Joey said through tears as Layla teared up as well.

The two women embraced.

"I love you, Johana."

"I love you, too, Layla. Thanks for always being there for me no matter how many times I mess up."

Layla wiped her eyes and held the hands of the girl she had grown up with. They had been through thick and thin together and their bond was forever and unbreakable. Fiercly loving, loyal, and protective of one another, they were as different as night and day but still one in the same. And no matter what, they would always be there for one another.

"What are sisters for?"


	28. May Old Acquaintances Be Forgotten

It was New Year's Eve and everyone knew that South Beach was the place to be. Miami was notorious for its partying all year round so the biggest night of the year would be no exception. Joey El had spent a relaxing Christmas vacation with her older sister. The two women had time to catch up and restablish their bond. The awful truth about Stu had set them free and now it was a new beginning. The WWE Superstars had been given five days off for the holiday then it was back to the usual grind before another short vacation to celebrate the new year. Ever since the night of the company Christmas party, Joey had not been able to get Heath or their two kisses out of her mind. Their friendly flirting had continued but the pair had yet to have a serious talk about the direction in which their relationship was heading. She had hoped they would get to ring in 2011 together but Heath had already made plans with the boys. Not one to sit around, Joey had decided to live it up with Layla and some of their friends. It was after 10:30 p.m. when Joey emerged from the shower. Layla had taken off a couple hours before to have dinner with a girlfriend. The plan was for Joey to join them at a nearby club before midnight. Smiling, she had chosen a sexy strapless little black number with heels. She had taken extra time flat ironing her hair and her make up had to be just right as well. Humming a tune to herself, she sat in front of the large vanity mirror in her bedroom to finish getting ready. Her cell phone rang and she answered immediately. It was Layla.

"Joe, where are you?" Layla asked, over the loud crowd in the background.

"Almost ready," she told a little white lie, not wanting her sister to freak out at the late time. "How is it?"

"Amazing. The deejay is hot, the drinks are flowing. All that's missing is you so hurry up."

"I'm on my way," she grinned. "Hang tight and don't have so much fun without me."

"We're waiting. Love you."

Joey hung up the phone and finished getting ready. Ten minutes later, it rang again.

"Lay, I'm coming, babe, but if you don't let me get my face on, I'm never gonna get there," she spoke into the phone, not bothering to check the incoming number.

"Big plans tonight, I see."

Joey cringed. It wasn't Layla on the other end of the line.

"Stu…"

"You seem surprised to hear from me."

She cleared her throat.

"I, I guess. What's going on? What do you want?"

"That's no way to greet an old friend."

She rolled her eyes.

"I really don't have time to fight with you."

"I didn't call for a fight, Johana. I called to talk."

"Why?" she asked softly.

"Because we haven't talked in a while. You have been avoiding me at work."

"I have not."

"Don't lie to me."

She bit her lip. Joey had been avoiding him like the plague. It somehow made it easier. A part of her still loved him. A part of her was still hurting from how things had ended. It was still too fresh and too hard and Stu was impossible to talk to sometimes.

"I don't know what there is to talk about."

"There's plenty."

"Like?"

He paused for a second.

"Like what you're doing tonight."

"It's New Year's Eve. What do you expect me to do? Sit on the couch and watch Ryan Seacrest?"

"With your lover Heath?"

"Don't start. First of all, Heath and I are not nor have we ever been lovers. And I am going out with my sister and friends tonight, thank you very much. Heath is partying with the guys and if you weren't such a bad friend, maybe you would know that. Maybe they even would have invited you to come along but I guess that would have been pointless considering you're probably going to be celebrating with your wife tonight," she spat.

"Leave Jacqueline out of this."

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

"This is so stupid, Stu. I don't have time to deal with this."

"What is your problem?"

"I don't have a problem, we're just over. I can't be with you anymore. Our relationship was a mistake, Stu, one huge mistake. I was lost in my life and you came along with your good looks and charm and swag and it totally swept me off my feet. I really needed that attention at the time. But we were wrong. You were married and we never should have started hooking up. We got caught and it could have cost both of us our careers. How stupid is that to risk something we've both worked for years to accomplish? At the time I wasn't thinking, I didn't care. Now I realize how dumb that was. I put everything on the line for sex, for love. The whole time we were only fooling ourselves. If you haven't left Jackie by now, you won't. I get that. And maybe that's for the best. I don't know. What I do know is that I can't be in this situation anymore. It's toxic. It hurts too much. I hate myself for loving you and being with you. I am ashamed of what I, of what we've done. And I know that I've worked too hard to make a name for myself in the WWE. Wrestling is my life. I can't think of anything else I want to do. I don't want to get fired. And I don't want to be talked about and known as the girl that lost it all because she couldn't stop sleeping with that married guy. My priorities were all mixed up before and now they're not. I'm sorry."

"So it's really over?"

"Yes. It's over because you're married, it's over because you've lied to me so many times, it's over because I want to keep my job and oh yeah, it's over because you can't keep your hands to yourself."

He laughed an evil laugh on the other end of the phone.

"I was angry and I admit my actions, though well provoked, were out of control. But I am not a batterer, Johana and I refuse to let you paint me as one."

"Whatever, Stu. Paint it anyway you want. We're done."

"And Heath?"

"What about him?"

"Are you sleeping with him?"

"No! For the millionth time and I really wish you would stop asking."

He wouldn't let it go.

"Something isn't right. I am very suspicious of the situation. Heath is a rat."

"Heath is my friend."

"There you go defending him."

"Because you keep badmouthing him for no good reason."

"Do you know what I think?"

"I'm sure you're gonna tell me…"

"I think that the two of you took our little game of pretend too far. I think that you two slept together in West Virginia over Thanksgiving break. And I also think that you are a dirty, lying whore!"

Joey cringed at his verbal assault.

"I am not going to listen to this…"

"Why? Truth hurt?"

"You hurt. God, Stu, you have hurt me so much in so many ways and I just can't take it anymore."

"You disgust me. You selfish little bitch, to sit here and act like you're the only person that ever sacrificed in this relationship. I put my career on the line, too. I was preparing to leave my wife. Everything you went through, I went through it too and for you to say I didn't is nothing but fuckery."

"Stu…"

"You've said what you had to say now shut up and let me have my turn! You disgust me, Johana. You want to play Little Miss Innocent? What a joke! You're a joke. You have some nerve to talk about your regrets. What about my regrets? You are my regret. I had so much love for you but now I only feel contempt and disgust and hate. Do you hear that, Princess? I hate you! And I regret ever meeting you, falling for you, and for sure ever having sex with you. I only hope Heath and whoever else in the Nexus who is next in line for a piece, enjoys my sloppy seconds. I can't wait to ask that red headed waste of space what I taste like."

With her hands shaking and tears filling her eyes, Joey ended the phone call. Her heart pounded inside her chest. Stu Bennett's words hurt just as much as his fists. Getting up, she flipped open the lid of the toilet and spilled her insides into the bowl. She was a disgusted bundle of raw, rattled nerves. In a few minutes, everything had changed. She had been so happy, carefree and excited and now he had managed to ruin it all. He had hurt her to the core and his sinister words rang in her head over and over again. The last thing she felt like was going out and partying and being around people. Mascara streaked tears fell down her cheeks. Grabbing a warm cloth, Joey scrubbed the make up from her face. She hastily typed Layla a text saying she wouldn't be joining them after all. Joey felt awful and getting all dolled up was no longer an option either. She wanted to look as bad as she felt. Pulling her hair up into a loose and messy bun, she changed into a pair of faded and worn sweats and a tee shirt that was about three sizes too big. Wallowing in her own misery, Joey grabbed a spoon and a pint of ice cream from the freezer. She plopped down on the couch. It looked like she was going to have a date with Ryan Seacrest after all.

Stuffing her face, Joey sadly thought about how she had been so cavalier as to let her life spiral out of control the last year. The old saying went that the way a person rang in the New Year set the tone and mood for how they would spend the rest of the year. Joey could only groan and pray the next 12 months wouldn't be as awful. Hindsight was 20/20 and if she had it to do all over again, how things would be done differently. But now there was nothing she could do except for hope she wouldn't get caught. It was bad enough getting over Stu and putting the pieces to her life back together but there was the issue of work as well. Even though she had officially ended their torrid relationship, Joey knew that if Stephanie ever caught wind of what had gone down, they would all be in hot water…poor Heath included. Her phone rang and she saw that it was Layla. She didn't want to talk. She wasn't ready. What was there to say? Joey felt terrible and knew it was unfair to spoil everyone else's good time. She just wanted to be alone even though the noise of her racing thoughts was at times too much to bear. People made mistakes all the time and she had made some big ones. Could they be forgiven? If she was really sorry, could she, they somehow escape the trap of consequences that would surely await them? Sighing loudly, Joey put the phone on airplane mode and sank back into the sofa, letting her tears of shame, confusion, anger and sadness fall. At that moment, she truly hated herself. Hugging her knees to her chest, she sobbed until she couldn't cry anymore. Finally she wiped her eyes and stared blankly at the television set. It was less than a minute until midnight. A loud knock at the door disturbed her growing depression. Joey cursed to herself. It was just like Layla to worry and come check on her. Maybe she had forgotten her key. Standing up, Joey walked to the door as the seconds ticked away on the TV. Letting out a deep breath, she opened the front door, speech already prepared. But to her shock, it was not her sister.

_5…4…3…2…1…_

"Happy New Year, babe."

It was Heath. And before she could open her mouth, he had silenced her with a kiss.


	29. The Corre Of Demise

It was a new year and for Joey El that meant a new beginning. Her professional life was going better than ever and in the weeks leading up to 2011, she had managed to get her personal life back in check as well. It was an unexpected case of out with the old and in with the new. She had realized nothing good could or would ever come out of her relationship with Stu Bennett. She had kicked him to the curb but in the process had managed to develop real feelings for the man who had become her partner in the ring and her friend outside of it. Heath Miller was his name. He was a strapping six foot two inch, 230 pound of whirling, non stop energy with an infectious grin, goofy laugh, and a mop of light red hair that he loved to shake around. He was funny and cute and had proven to have Joey's back when it had counted the most. They had grown close and in the process, a mutual physical attraction had formed. As Joey made her way into the arena, her breath caught in her throat as she got her first glimpse of Heath since their New Year's encounter. The memory came flooding back and she couldn't help but smile…

_5…4…3…2…1_

"_Happy New Year, babe."_

_Heath. Heath Miller was really there, really standing in front of her face at her door, arriving just seconds before midnight. And his lips were really kissing hers. They were unbelievably soft and the way he expertly parted her lips with his own, sent shivers down her spine. His breath was warm and minty, his eyes serious and his voice husky. He looked so nice in his street clothes and as always, smelled of the best cologne. The kiss left her tongue tied and toes tingling._

"_What…what are you doing here?" she asked breathless. "What was that? I, I thought you were hanging out with your friends tonight."_

_He just shrugged and grinned._

"_I was. The plan was to hit the club and party it up with the boys but all night I couldn't stop thinking about you. I don't know, I just felt like seeing you. I called but your phone went straight to voicemail. Layla had tweeted about where she was partying at so I figured you were there. I showed up and she said you were here so I drove like 80 miles an hour to get here before midnight."_

"_Why?" she asked softly._

"_So I could kiss you," he looked right into her eyes. "Is that okay?"_

_Like a schoolgirl, Joey could only nod. She invited Heath in and went to fix herself up but he stopped her. He had seen her first thing in the morning and he thought that was when she looked her prettiest. So he had taken off his jacket and they had made popcorn, fetched some more ice cream and spent the rest of the night laughing and talking about everything and nothing at all. In the wee hours of dawn, she had drifted off and when she woke up hours later when her sister returned, she was still safe and sound on the couch, cuddled up next to Heath with her head resting on his shoulder and him snoring not so softly beside her. Around noon he had headed back to Tampa. They had texted here and there but again there had been no real conversation about the state of their relationship and where they were going. Still she couldn't wait to see him again…_

"What up, girl?" he grinned, walking over to her just like usual.

"Nothing much," Joey casually shrugged. "You?"

"Just chilling, babe."

They looked at each other, both with silly grins plastered across their faces. They were interrupted by David Otunga.

"Alright, break it up, you two lovebirds. We just got called in for a meeting with Creative."

That instantly brought them back to reality. Joey's heart pounded. In the back of her mind, she was always worried about getting caught. Facing Stephanie McMahon Levesque was always nerve racking but when they made their way into the small conference room, they were relieved that she was not there. Instead it was one of the Creative Assistants, Kate Sullivan. She was a cute and petite blonde, one of the younger Corporate employees originally from Canada. She had started out as an intern and had worked her way up. She was a lot more pleasant than some of the other brasses.

"Good afternoon, everyone," she nodded. "Is everybody present?"

They were. Heath and Joey, David and PJ, Joe and Windham. Finally the door creaked open and in came the hulking frame of the missing leader, Stuart Bennett.

"Everyone is here now," PJ answered.

"Good. Let's get down to business," Kate began. "First of all, I want to personally congratulate you all on a job well done. I sincerely mean that. Everyone back in Stamford is quite pleased with your performance in the Nexus. The fans have really taken to it. We have done a lot with that group and feel like we can do more. With that said, there are going to be some changes…"

The small group eyeballed each other nervously. "Changes" could mean anything, good or bad.

"…The RAW brand has been the dominant WWE brand for years now. Creative is looking to spice things up, if you will, and add some fresh faces to Smackdown. We're looking for young talent. So that means that Nexus will be splitting up in recent weeks. With the Straight Edge Society gone, the writers are looking to put CM Punk as the leader of the New Nexus, which will remain on RAW."

"New Nexus?" Joe frowned.

Kate nodded.

"He will start a brief feud with Wade Barrett and his subsequent victory will give him leadership of the group. Otunga, Husky Harris and McGillicutty will pass his initiatons but Slater and Gabriel will refuse and eventually defect to Smackdown with Barrett."

Joey cleared her throat.

"What about me?"

"Mrs. Levesque is still undecided as to whether you should do singles' competition on RAW or come to Smackdown as well but your basic affiliation with the group will be ending soon."

"Oh," Joey didn't even try to hide her disappointment.

"Please don't take that the wrong way," Kate quickly countered. "You have done an imepccable job and you are one of the company's most popular characters. You adapted well to the change and did what was asked of you. We know that in whatever position we put you in, you will continue to thrive…all of you will. So with that, are there any questions?"

"No," everyone sighed collectively.

"Okay. Please keep your heads up and stay positive. Again, you have all done fantastic work. Here is my card and if you have any questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact me via phone or e-mail."

They all nodded and Kate said her good byes. Everyone sat quiet and stunned for a second. Poor Joey was on the verge of tears and an equally shocked Heath reached over and squeezed her hand.

"You alright?" he whispered.

"Yeah," she croaked.

He put an arm around her.

"It's gonna be okay, babe."

She forced an unsure nod as PJ, David, Joe, and Windham stood to leave. Stu was the last to stand and as he sauntered over to them with a shit eating smirk on his face, they knew nothing good could come out of it.

"Well, well, isn't that a surprise. No more Nexus. Isn't that a shame?"

"Why don't you just get out of here?" Heath shot him a serious look.

"Do I detect animosity?" he teased in his thick British accent. "Or maybe it's fear. Fear of the unknown…fear of becoming a low card jobber…fear of returning to valet status as a nameless pair of tits and ass for some flashy midcarder. Reasonable fears, I suppose, but I wouldn't know what that's like. Unlike some in this room, I actually have a future with the WWE. But for those that don't…you have my regards. Good luck, Heath and uh…Johana, you need not worry, love. I'm sure Stephanie will personally ensure that your position within the company is secure."

He gave them an evil smirk before exiting the room.

"Stupid bastard," Heath muttered.

"He's right," Joey sighed.

"Don't listen to him. He's just being an ass."

"Of course he is but he has a point. You heard Kate. I mean, it sounds pretty stupid considering the whole Nexus angle has been so popular and so over with the fans as far as heat wise. I thought things were going great. Anyway, they're going to try the whole new Nexus thing with Windham, Joe, and David with Phil and obvious there is no room for me there. My only shot is to go back to Smackdown. Layla is there. I love working with my sister and I feel like there is still more we could do as a tag team but…"

"But what?"

Joey shrugged.

"I really like working with you and PJ, too. I, I don't want to be separated."

Hot tears stung her eyes.

"Me either," he looked right at her. "So what are we gonna do about it?"

"What do you mean? There is nothing we can do. This is Creative's decision and Stephanie hates me, we both know that."

"But you heard Kate. She's nice. Plus, she said if we have any ideas, let her know."

"I know but how much clout does she really have? What can she do?"

Heath shrugged.

"I don't know, babe. But if we're gonna do anything, first of all we better come up with a dynamite plan to blow some minds."

"Good luck with that," Joey rolled her eyes.

The pair sat in silence for what felt like forever.

"Look, no use in sitting here just dwelling on it. Let's get out of here, get something to eat. We'll get up with PJ after the show and put our heads together and see what we come up with. It'll be alright."

"I guess so," she responded sadly.

Heath rubbed his stomach.

"I've got to get some food in me, girl. I am starved to my core."

Joey stared blankly ahead before the lightbulb went off in her head.

"That's it!"

"What?" Heath frowned.

"The Corre."

"My core?"

"No. Well, sort of. Our core."

"Joey, I don't follow…"

"We'll start a new group and call it The Corre. It'll be a tag team of you and PJ. I will manage but I'll team with you guys, too. It's new and it's fresh and we could be faces, which would totally go over with the fans. The setup will allow some of the other Divas to align themselves with the tag teams and we could roll with some pretty sweet three way feuds. That way,you and I could stay together. Our whole thing could be that we left the Nexus cause we don't agree with Punk's leadership style. We go to Smackdown but realize that Barrett is still a pompous jerk. So we see that we don't need a leader, we can just be ourselves."

"And where does that leave Stu?"

"In singles' competition, which is what he wants anyway."

Heath thought about it for a few seconds.

"Joey…"

"What do you think?" she asked with a worried look. "Please be honest."

He popped his gum and bobbed his head slightly before grinning.

"I like it."

"You do?"

"Hell yeah. I think it's genius."

Joey smiled as well. It was a good idea.

"Okay, okay. We got the dynamite mind blowing plan, now how do we get it off the ground? You know Steph is a no go."

"I say we try Kate. It can't hurt."

Joey nodded. He was right and they had no other choice.

"Okay. I'll give it a few days, then e-mail her," she looked down at Kate's card still in her hands. "It…this is going to be okay."

Heath winked at her.

"Of course it will be."

Joey could only hope so. It was a good idea but a wing and a prayer at best. It could be the difference between propelling her career and continuing the push she had been enjoying and fading back into obscurity. It was a scary time but the risk was worth it. Besides her career, there was Heath to consider. She did like him and she wanted to continue working with him to see where their professional and personal relationships could go. The sky was the limit but the risk was high. She prayed her plan of Bye Bye Nexus, Hello Corre would someway, somehow impress the powers that be.


	30. Four's A Crowd

Joey El and PJ Lloyd sat in a little corner of the arena green room waiting out the time before they were to head to the Gorilla and meet up for their match. The plans to transform the Nexus into C.M. Punk's New Nexus had been set in concrete and things were beginning to take shape. Fearing for her own future and keenly aware of the boss' disdain for her, Joey had sprung into action quick. She had come up with a way for her, Heath, and PJ to defect to Smackdown together and away from Stu. It would be an innovative and unique two man, one woman trio with championship belts in their sights, shades of the Hardy Boyz and Lita. She and Heath had run the idea by PJ, eventually letting him in on the whole sordid truth. He and Heath were best friends and had been ever since the two men had started at FCW around the same time. PJ was someone who could definietly be trusted and if was going to be included in this Corre plan, he deserved to know the truth. He had listened quietly and intently, occasionally stroking his beard with his right hand. In the end, he had been understanding, refusing to pass any kind of judgement on either of his friends. Equally appalled by Stu's recent behavior and disgusted at the fact that he had physically put his hands on Joey, the handsome young South African had been completely on board with the new plan. Together they had talked it out for days and fine tuned the kinks before making the call to Kate Sullivan. Immediately she had been receptive with the idea and after several e-mails and conference calls, she had promised to take it to the creative and writing department. Now they were just waiting for word.

"You okay?" PJ turned to Joey.

She gave an uneasy nod.

"Yeah. Just wondering where Heath is."

He was supposed to be there by now. In the few days that had passed, the two had grown even closer trying to construct the Corre. Working nonstop on it, they had spent nearly every waking moment together. What Joey had found most endearing was Heath's unwavering loyalty to her. Despite Stu's taunts, Heath's position on Smackdown had been assured. It was Joey's career that was in limbo. He didn't have to be so diligent about helping her, making sure she made it back to Smackdown and especially that she remained with he and PJ as a unit. But he had been just as fired up about it as she had, showing time and time again that he really cared for her.

"He'll be here," PJ checked the time. "Like clockwork."

And as if on cue, the energetic red head bounded around the corner into the room.

"What's up y'all?" he asked.

"Nothing," Joey eyed him carefully. "Everything okay?"

"Everything is great, babe. In fact, I'm glad you're both here. I wanted you to check this out."

Heath proudly unveiled several sheets of paper. On them he had drawn several potential logos of their latest idea. Heath was a great artist and his designs easily could be sell a tee shirt in the merchandising department.

"Wow," Joey smiled. "These look awesome."

"You mean that?" he shot her a shy smile.

"Yeah."

PJ just chuckled to himself. He had always been suspicious of their supposed romantic entanglement but after hearing the truth from them, it was easy to see that maybe life was finally starting to imitate art. He and Heath had been buddies for a long time. Heath was a good guy, who despite his partying and wild ways, deserved a good girl. And judging by the way he and Joey were looking at each other like two love struck teenagers, perhaps they were starting to really fall for each other.

"Still here, guys," PJ cleared his throat, breaking their trance.

"Don't hate, fool," Heath teased his friend. "Anyway, what do you think?"

PJ looked at the designs again.

"I think it looks great, man…except for one small thing."

"What's that?" Heath questioned.

"Corre. You spelled it wrong, dude."

Both Heath and Joey frowned.

"No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did," PJ pointed out. "Corre is only supposed to have one r. You put two."

He looked at Joey for backup but she only laughed out loud and just shook her head.

"PJ, he didn't spell it wrong. Core does too have two r's."

"Are you joking right now?"

He watched as the pair linked arms and walked out of the green room laughing together. "English isn't his first language," he heard Heath explain. PJ just shook his head and followed them out. Maybe the two had been meant to be, after all he thought to himself with a chuckle. But all laughs ceased when they ran into Stu who was pacing right in front of the Gorilla.

"Well, well," he folded his arms. "Nice of you three to finally join us."

He had an evil smirk on his face, the kind that usually meant that he was just itching to pick a fight with somebody. The three, unamused, were not in the mood.

"We're not late. We still have a few minutes before we go on," PJ motioned towards a nearby clock as he shook the tension out of his arms via his usual pre-match warmup.

"I suppose," Stu eyed the trio suspiciously. "Where have you jackals been?"

Heath calmly chewed his piece of gum as Joey and PJ waited with bated breath. The tension between the bare knuckle fighter from Britain and the One Man Rock Band from West Virginia had been building and all involved feared what would happen when everything finally reached its breaking point. When Heath ignored Stu and the PA's finally notified the crew to take their positions for entry to the ring, they all breathed a huge sigh of relief. The Nexus music began to the ensuing boos from the sold out crowd. The dastardly faction, minus David Otunga, who was nursing a mild elbow injury that had been written into the storyline, made their way to the ring. Justin Gabriel, Heath Slater, Michael McGilicutty, and Husky Harris all took their places standing on the second rope of each corner of the ring. They played to the fans, loving the heat they got. As usual, their leader Wade Barrett stood cockily in the center of the squared circle as Johana raised her arms above her head. She struggled to remain in character when her ex added an extra ad lib and ended the entrance with a playful but sublte slap to her behind.

It was a ten man tag in the main event against Randy Orton, John Cena, John Morrison, R Truth and The Big Show. The match started with 25 minutes left on the program and Creative had carefully scripted it to make sure each wrestler got significant ring time. It went back and forth as planned and the ending was to have the referee distracted by the other Nexus members brawling with Orton, Cena, Truth and Show so that Justin and Husky could put a massive beatdown on John Morrison. With Heath being the legal man, he would hit his finisher, Sweetness. Just as the final moment of the match had arrived and JoMo was crouched over in agony in the center of the ring, Heath went to spring himself off the ropes. It happened so fast, Joey barely saw it and it left the other Nexus members in a state of confusion, frowns on their faces. But Wrestling 101's first lesson was the importance of never breaking character, no matter what chaos was going on around you. True professionals, the gang went with the flow and sudden last minute change as Wade Barrett tagged himself in on a blind tag Slater obviously was not expecting or wanting. The PG rating went right out the window along with the scripted ending when the handsome red head loudly yelled out, "what the fuck?" Wade kicked John in the ribs creating the perfect setup for Wasteland, which he expertly delivered. The remaining Nexus guys held off the babyface Superstars to allow their leader to score the pin. The match ended and another brawl began, ending as officials from the back ran down to restore law and order. Once backstage and away from the fans and the cameras, the calm, cool, and collected Heath had left the building.

"What the hell is the problem?" he went right after Stu, shoving him hard.

"Keep your bloody hands off of me or I'm going to be your problem," Stu glared, pushing back.

"Guys, stop it," Joey instantly got between the two of them.

PJ, Windham, and Joe followed suit, breaking the two men apart and pulling Joey out of harm's way.

"Calm down," PJ kept a tight grip on his friend's arm. "It's not even worth it, man."

Heath's body and face was just as red as his hair. He hadn't been that pissed off in a long time.

"If you want to be mad at me, whatever, dude, but that was some bullshit you pulled out there in the ring! Work is work! How stupid can you be to change up the match! What the fuck, man?"

Joey tugged at his arm.

"Just walk away, Heath. Come on."

Still furious, Heath slowly backed away as Stu didn't even bother to hide the growing smirk on his face.

"That's right, Miller. Listen to your little girlfriend and BFF."

"Shut up!"

"Now, now," Stu put up his hands defensively. "Let's not get crazy. There's no need for the hostility."

"Hostility? You changed the ending of the match without telling anyone, Stu!"

"Oh but I did," he explained. "You see, Randy, Ron, Paul, and the two Johns were well aware of the amendment and had you three been on time, I could have informed you of the new happenings but as usual, the three of you, Heath, PJ, and Johana were off in cahoots behind some closed door."

PJ shook his head in disgust.

"That's BS, Stu."

"Don't be angry. If this partnership is going to work, we all need to learn how to function together as a unit."

"Whatever," Heath muttered. "I'll just be glad when all this is over."

Stu raised an eyebrow.

"You mean when we're all on Smackdown?"

"Yeah," Heath answered, rolling his eyes. "When we're all on Smackdown."

Stu nodded.

"If we're going to pull off this Core Four, I am going to require a lot more cooperation from the three of you."

Just hearing the word Core come out of Stu's mouth made PJ, Joey and Heath's blood run cold. They stopped dead in their tracks.

"What did you just say?" PJ asked.

Stu grinned. He had been waiting for the perfect moment to drop his little bombshell and now he had the opportunity of a lifetime.

"The Corre. You heard me, didn't you? You know, the group the three of you have been working so hard to put together."

"How, how did you know?" Joey stammered.

The strapping Brit was feeling quite satisfied with himself.

"Aw, the Corre. The brainchild of Johana El and it's nice to know by the way that you're using that noggin of yours for something other than a hat rack, my dear."

"Stu…" Joey called out in a more frantic voice.

"It doesn't matter, Johana, how I found out, just count your lucky stars that I did. Formulating a group with Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater…it sounded like the perfect plan but something was missing. Something just wasn't there. And as carefully put together as your little plan was, it just wasn't enough for Ms. Sullivan to shop to the powers that be. But don't fret…that It factor that was lacking is Wade Barrett and I was gracious enough to volunteer my services."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Heath asked in disbelief.

"The Corre Four. You three didn't really think you could make it without me, did you? Nice try, Johana but you couldn't get rid of me that easy. You did weasel your way onto the Smackdown roster with Heath and PJ but it came at a cost. You're looking at the newest fourth member of your little group."


	31. Life's A Beach

The pieces of the puzzle were slowly starting to fit together. The transition from Nexus to New Nexus had begun. From the moment the idea had first been birthed, Joey's mind had been filled with questions and doubt. The Nexus heel faction had breathed new life into the WWE and its legendary feuds with basically every other Superstar on the roster had gone over with the fans from day one. It was working well so she didn't understand why Creative had to go and try to fix something that clearly wasn't broken. But as usual, Talent had to go with the flow and simply do what they were told. As plans were set into motion and implemented on live TV during the RAW broadcast, the fans seemed just as confused as she was. CM Punk challenging Wade Barrett to be new leader had come out of the blue and just as abruptly as it started, it was all over. Barrett was on Smackdown, leaving Punk in charge.

The on air initiations with Husky Harris, Michael McGillicutty, and David Otunga were brutal. Then it had come time for Heath Slater and Justin Gabriel to earn their keep by presumably beating the shit out of each other with two kendo sticks. The men had prepared to do battle but eventually refused as their loyalty to each other surpassed any newfound allegiance to Punk. But on television it came across as a poorly acted, even worse written, homoerotic prelude to a bad porn movie. Even Joey had to cringe backstage as she watched on a monitor but minutes later she had to pull herself together. She had a promo as well where CM Punk accosted her, attempting to convert her from her "worldly" ways and take up where Serena had left him in the Straight Edge Society. Fans in the audience and at home waited with bated breath as the dark haired beauty pondered through several commercial breaks whether or not to shave her head and join Punk or leave the group she loved. In the end, a visit from Slater and Gabriel had convinced her to choose the latter. Johana had ended up slapping Punk across the face before announcing her own defection to Smackdown.

Change was in the air which meant time for new beginnings, new pushes and opportunities for new storylines. All involved were excited but the looming fact that Stu would now be the fourth Corre member still weighed heavily on PJ, Heath, and Joey. Their first Smackdown house show occurred in Dover, Delaware. Most of the roster had arrived late the night before. With no media scheduled on the calm Sunday morning, after a light breakfast everyone had ventured out to the beach. It was too cold in January to even attempt to get in the water but there were other things to do at Bower's Beach. Wearing sweats and hoodies, some of the guys started a football game, while the girls made a small bonfire and gossiped over Smores. It was a much needed relaxing day and the absence of Stu Bennett only spelled peace for Joey.

The relationship, doomed from the start, had fallen apart both quickly and badly. As each day passed, yet another shade of Stu's true colors were revealed. He became meaner, more spiteful and more vindictive by the day, making Joey question how or why she had ever fallen in love with him in the first place. But the important thing was that it was over once and for all. Though Layla and Heath were skeptical at first, because of the revolving door between the two, Joey remained steadfast in her decision. She should never have gotten involved with a married man to begin with and the realization had smacked her in the face as hard as Stu's fist had…he was never going to leave his wife. He was selfish and crude and he didn't love her. It was time to move on.

The one thing that had unexpectedly healed her heartbreak was the growing mutual attraction between her and Heath. He was a nice guy, sweet, funny and goofy and they had been cool with each other from the beginning. He had stuck his neck out to protect her career and in forming a fake romance, the pair had grown closer. The time spent together had connected them intimately and after meeting his family and especially seeing how hell bent he was on protecting her from Stu, she had come to see him in a new light. He was a good looking guy with a really awesome body. That Southern accent became sexier by the day. Everything from the way he popped and chewed his gum to his infectious laugh to his loud snore to the way he loudly sang the lyrics to every song that came on the radio when they were traveling warmed her heart. He was a great person and she felt herself falling for him slowly but surely.

"It's so good to be on the same show again," Layla commented with a smile as she and her sister were alone grabbing more supplies of marshmallows, chocolate bars, and graham crackers.

Joey nodded.

"I know. I've missed traveling with you so much."

"I guess you're excited for the Corre to debut on Smackdown Tuesday night."

"Yeah, it's gonna be awesome, I mean, except for the whole Stu thing," she rolled her eyes.

Layla shook her head.

"I still can't get over him weaseling his way into the group. That guy is a real piece of work, a first class jerk."

"Tell me about it but it's okay. What can you do?"

"I hope he doesn't cause any trouble."

"Of course he will. That was his whole reason for doing this. I just pray he gets bored easily and somehow we can get him out of the group and go on with what we originally planned. Look how innovative and popular and exciting it was when the Hardy Boyz and Lita worked together. The fans haven't seen anything like that since. It would be great to bring that kind of energy back and I know Heath, PJ, and me can totally pull it off."

"I know so, too. I believe in you, Joe. Just hang in there."

Joey nodded and looked over her shoulder as she saw Heath in the middle of an intense strategizing huddle with the rest of the boys. He looked up and their eyes briefly met. His face turned red as they exchanged shy smiles. It was a cute moment before he went back to his game.

"Wow," she whispered to herself.

"You two are so sweet together," Layla gushed.

"You think?"

"Yeah. He really likes you, I can tell."

"Lay…"

"I've seen the way he looks at you and don't forget New Year's when the man flaked on his plans with his friends and chased you down just to give you a midnight kiss. That is so romantic."

It was.

"I know," she said softly. "He's a good guy. I think he likes me. I hope he likes me. I, uh…I like him, too."

"Then what's the problem? What's stopping you two from getting together for real?"

Joey shrugged.

"I don't know. I don't want it to be weird. I don't want to make another mistake."

"Stu was the mistake. He and Heath are two different people. You know what Mom told me once?"

Joey shuddered at the mention of their mother.

"What…what's that?"

"She said that when people show you who they are, believe them. Just think about it. What did Stu ever show you? That he's a liar, a cheat, a manipulator…a brute. He showed you that time and time again but you let love blind you and you have a good heart so you were desperate to see something else, a good side of him that did not exist. But on the flip side, what has Heath shown you? That he is caring and loyal and just an all around stand up guy. It's up to you to trust that. You need to believe it, Joe."

Joey thought to herself as she glanced over at the group of men again. Heath was grinning and wildly shaking that untamed ginger mane as he bobbed his head after making a touch down and spiking the football in the sand. Looking back at her older sister who gave her a smile of encouragement, Joey took a deep breath and walked over to where the guys had just taken a break. Grabbing an ice cold Gatorade from one of the coolers, she handed it to Heath.

"Hey," she said shyly.

He grinned at her, accepting it.

"Hey."

"Nice game," she commented. "You looked good out there."

"Thanks."

"Excited about tonight?"

He shrugged.

"Yeah. Um, it'll be cool."

An unfamiliar silence ensued.

"Wow," she scratched her head. "This is um…"

"Awkward?" he finished for her.

Joey chuckled.

"Well yeah. It hasn't really been like that between us in a long time. It sucks."

"Don't say that, babe. A lot of stuff has happened but it's all good. We're getting through it. We made it to Smackdown…all of us. I've got a good feeling inside like this whole Corre thing is really gonna take off soon. And…"

"That's not what I'm talking about, Heath," Joey interrupted.

He frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean us, you know, in real life, outside the ring. Don't get me wrong, I am so happy everything worked out with the Corre and with us getting to Smackdown and stuff but…"

"Has Stu said anything to you lately?"

She shook her head.

"No, thank God," she shivered involuntarily. "You?"

"Nah."

"Good. Hopefully it will all be over soon and he'll get over himself and we can get him out of our group."

Heath nodded.

"That would be cool but…"

"But what?"

"I don't know, Joey."

"Say it."

"I guess I just want to know what's gonna happen when he comes back and wants to be together with you again?"

"What?"

"You know how it was. You and Stu broke up and got back together every other day. I'm just worried about the future…worried about you. He hurt you a lot in more ways than one. I just keep thinking of what it's going to be like if he shows up at your door one day and says he's gonna leave Jackie again and you go running back."

"That won't happen."

"How can you be sure?"

She exhaled.

"I can't even get mad at you for saying that or thinking it. Look at my track record. I did let him run all over me. I regret it, Heath. It's embarrassing but I give you my word that is not going to happen again. I will never take Stu Bennett back. I don't care what he says or does. It's too late."

He studied her and she seemed for real.

"I hope so."

"You really worry about me?" she asked.

"Sure, I do. We've gotten pretty tight. You're a girl and you're my friend…what can I say? I'm a nice guy."

"You are," she softly agreed. "But is…uh, is that the only reason you're worried?"

"I don't get it."

"Ever since Thanksgiving and especially New Year's, there has been something between us. We don't really talk about it and I just wondered where we're going, if we're even going…" her voice trailed off.

Heath was quiet for a moment.

"You mean like us being more than friends?"

"Yeah," she cocked her head up at him.

When he didn't respond right away, Joey wished the earth would open up and swallow her whole in that humiliating moment. Maybe she had jumped the gun and overestimated his feelings for her.

"Is that what you want?"

"Um…"

"Cause I do. I mean, I've been thinking about it for a long time. You're a cool girl, Joey. You're beautiful and I really dig you. I know we've been flirting and stuff and New Year's was awesome but I don't want to take it any further if there is still that chance that you have feelings for Stu."

She breathed a sigh of relief. His trepidation was more than understandable.

"I get how you feel and I don't blame you."

"I like you. I want to hang out more with you. I want to kiss you. I want to take you out on that date like we talked about in Vegas but I can't do that, any of it if you're gonna be going back and forth between me and him."

Joey couldn't help but smirk.

"You want to take me out on a date, like a real one?"

He grinned.

"Maybe. But I can't do that if you still like Stu."

"Don't worry about that. Don't worry about Stu. Stu and I are over."

"How over?"

"Weeks, months even. I am totally ready to move on," she teased.

"I see. So, um, if I asked you out like for real for real, you'd say yes?"

She looked him right in the eye.

"I would definitely say yes,"

He nodded, as a gust of wind blew both of their hair in the ocean breeze. It was a perfect moment.

"Well, Joey El, would you like to go on a date with me?"

She grinned and nodded.

"Heath Miller, I would love to go on a date with you."

"So it's official then, huh?"

"I guess so. Where are you taking me?"

"That's a surprise but I can promise you one thing," he said with a twinkle in his eye. "I am going to blow…your…mind."

He leaned dangerously close to her lips, slowly emphasizing each word as his minty breath blew against her neck, giving her chills. He walked away and she raised an eyebrow loving how his workout pants hugged the shape of his muscular ass and thighs. So he was planning on blowing her mind, huh? Joey was counting on it.


	32. Mind Blowing

Joey El loved being on the road and loved the exciting nomadic life of being a WWE Superstar. Though it was nice to return to Miami once every week or two to relax and enjoy time off, it had been a long time since she had looked that forward to getting back home. In addition to the much needed r and r, she had something else to be excited about. It was a Thursday night and that was the evening it had been planned for Heath to take her out on their long anticipated first real date.

"So how do I look, Sissy?" Joey nervously asked, staring at her reflection in the mirror.

Joey's thin and sexy frame had been poured into a strapless, black sexy little number it had taken her all day to find at a trendy boutique in Miami Beach. She wore strappy black heels and had curled her hair, accentuating the seductive look with dark, smoky eye makeup. As a WWE Diva, she was famous and beautiful, one of the most coveted women in all of sports entertainment but standing in her bathroom, she suddenly felt insecure and nervous about her looks.

"You look fine. Relax," Layla smiled as she stepped in and handed her younger sister a Kleenex.

"What's this for?"

"Blot your lips, less is more."

"I thought you said I looked okay."

"You do. You look more than okay, you look great but that was just too much red lipstick. You want your makeup to say, 'I look alluring and sexy, yet classy', not 'We can totally have sex tonight'."

"And one blot of lipstick is the difference between those two statements?" Joey asked.

"Of course."

Joey playfully rolled her eyes but did what she was told, grinning when she was satisfied with what she saw.

"This is so weird…"

"You still don't know where he's taking you?"

Joey shook her head.

"Heath won't tell me. He says it is a surprise."

"That's so cute."

"I know," Joey gushed.

Layla sighed.

"You're really nervous, aren't you?"

"I can't help it."

"It's just Heath."

"I know," she smiled in the mirror, feeling her heart skip a beat as the doorbell rang.

Layla went to answer it. A few seconds later, she heard that familiar deep Southern accent. Feeling as giddy as a schoolgirl, she finally emerged from the back. There was Heath, wearing a crisply ironed white button up, the sleeves casually rolled up, with designer jeans over new black cowboy boots.

"Hey girl."

"Hi," Joey sucked in a breath as Heath looked her up and down.

He gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She inhaled the delicious scent of his cologne.

"I'll let you two crazy kids get on your way," Layla winked as she made herself scarce.

"You look nice," Joey noticed.

"Thanks, babe. So do you but um…"

He scratched his head and Joey frowned.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing's wrong, it's just that…"

"What?"

"Well, you're a little overdressed for where we're going."

"Oh," Joey's face turned bright red.

Heath quickly tried to smooth over the situation.

"It's okay…"

"I can change…"

"No. No, don't. Seriously. You look beautiful. It will be okay."

He gave her a smile that made her feel happy and assured all over. When he extended his hand, she accepted it as he led her outside to his vehicle. Like a true Southern gentleman, he opened her door. When he climbed in beside her, he reached into the backseat and presented her with a dozen red roses.

"Heath," she gushed. "Wow. They are so pretty. I love them but you didn't have to."

He shrugged with a goofy grin.

"I know you like flowers, what girl doesn't? Besides I figured I owed you one."

"What?" she made a confused face.

"On the way to Pineville," he reminded her of the embarrassing moment where she mistook the floral arrangement he bought for his mother as her own.

"Well, thank you," she just stared at them.

He drove towards their destination, his larger hand gliding over hers. The feel of his fingertips made her shiver. She was unbelievably nervous but that was broken up by the continued ritual of Heath singing along loudly to every song that came on the radio. He always did that on the road and it never ceased to make her smile. He was carefree and fun and she liked that about him. He was also always full of surprises. He was still keeping mum about the location of their date and the suspense was killing her, though that feeling was quickly replaced with confusion when he turned into the entrance for the Miami Zoo. It was after dark and the park was closed to the public but he still stopped and got out, opening her door and taking her by the hand.

"Well, babe…this is it."

"The zoo?"

He held his breath, hoping she wouldn't be disappointed. Normally he would have taken her for a nice dinner at an expensive restaurant, then headed out to the trendiest club in South Beach but this date was special and this time he dared to try something a little different. The old Joey was flighty and superficial but as he had gotten to know this sweet, more grounded and mature woman, he had a feeling that she would understand what he was trying to do.

"Come on," he guided her, placing his hand on the small of her back.

They approached the entrance where a man in a suit was waiting for them.

"Mr. Miller?"

Heath shook his hand.

"Hey man. You must be Charles."

The gentleman nodded.

"We have been awaiting your arrival, sir. And this must be your lovely date."

Heath squeezed Joey's hand and she blushed.

"Everything all set up?"

"It is. Please follow me."

The couple did so and Charles led them to a gold cart chauffeured by one of the zookeepers.

"I thought this would be pretty cool," Heath whispered into her ear.

"But how did you do this? The zoo is closed."

He grinned.

"I have my ways. Besides, I thought it would be more romantic if we had a private tour."

Joey looked into his eyes and she couldn't stop beaming. So it was the zoo and she was dressed for a night out partying in the city. It was a sweet gesture, original and thoughtful and she was just excited to be spending time with Heath. They spent the next hour and a half getting an up close and personal look with some of the park's most infamous inhabitants. They saw the hippos, the lions, the tigers, the elephants, the monkeys, the otters, the rhinos, the koalas, and the hyenas. The animals were great and the zookeeper a very knowledgeable guide. The weather was perfect, a picturesque starry night and half moon. Joey felt like she was going to melt when Heath put his arm around her. Afterwards, the golf cart took them to a grassy area where a blanket had been laid out with a picnic basket and two glasses along with a bottle of champagne.

"What in the…" Joey stopped dead in her tracks.

Heath led her to the blanket where she kicked off her heels and they took a seat. Joey admired the spread.

"Alright, I hope you're hungry," Heath rubbed his hands together. "We've got pita wedges and spicy bean dip…not my idea. I was on the fence about it but PJ and Barb swear by it so we'll take their word for it this time. Anyway, I made the Crab Cakes, a personal favorite of mine and here is a Sweet Cucumber and Mandarin Orange salad. There's a couple of bottled waters and no West Virginia picnic is complete without some warm potato salad, naw mean? And we'll top it off with this mocha cheesecake that I personally cannot wait to dig into. So what do you think?"

Joey smiled.

"I think it's perfect," she said softly.

They ate their dinner with friendly, casual small talk with crickets chirping in the background and the balmy south Florida breeze blowing through their hair. When they finished up, a zoo employee came and cleaned everything up. Heath helped Joey to her feet as they walked hand in hand over towards the Wildlife Carousel. The ride was lit and music played in the background. It was a beautiful hand carved wooden carousel made in the shape of animals. Heath helped her onto the platform and she giggled as she hopped up on a replica of a baby gorilla while Heath sat right next to her on a cheetah. It was a little awkward as she had to sit sideways due to her attire but it was such a nice time, neither one of them noticed.

"So, did you have a good time tonight?" Heath asked.

"I did."

"You sure?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. I…"

"Look, I know this isn't the traditional date. We're in Miami and we could have done a lot of other cool stuff but I don't know…this seemed different. I racked my brain for ways to make this night special for you, for us."

"You did?" she questioned.

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Because you're special to me."

Joey sucked in a breath. She had not been expecting that.

"You mean that?"

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't. Look, Joey, I know things started off weird with us. Honestly, I never thought we'd be here in this moment like this for real but uh…it's nice. I think you're nice. Ever since you went home with me for Thanksgiving, it's like something changed, at least it did for me. I really, really like you. I don't know what's going to happen in the future but who knows, babe, maybe this could be the start of something special between us…I mean, if that's what you want."

She bit her lip.

"This is a little overwhelming. You have really been there for me these last few months. You've been a great friend and before I knew it, I guess I started to see you as something more. I wasn't expecting that. Things did start off weird for us and the one thing I don't get is, you saw me at my worst. Selfish, stupid, immature…all of that and it's like you never gave up on me. I just don't get that."

"My grandma always told me that if you can't handle someone at their worst, then you don't deserve them at their best, naw mean?"

Joey looked away.

"I know exactly what you mean," she answered quietly. "Heath?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

Joey looked around.

"For everything. For lying for me, for risking your career to save my butt, for protecting me with Stu and with Stephanie, for taking me to Pineville, for being an awesome friend, for sticking by me and especially…especially for tonight. This is different and it's sweet and it's romantic and I love it. No guy has ever done something like this, gone out of his way to make me feel so special. I don't know if I deserve it but I appreciate it. You're a great guy, Heath and I feel so happy right now and I can't remember a time when I've felt like this. You promised you would blow my mind and you did. You have. You have from the beginning. This moment right now…it might sound really cheesy but it's like I never want it, this feeling to end. I want to remember it always and nothing, absolutely nothing could make this night more perfect."

Joey spoke too soon because before she knew it, Heath had leaned in and the softness of his lips crashed against hers. She savored the softness of his kiss, the way his tongue gently moved inside her mouth, the minty way the inside of his mouth tasted. It was quite possibly the best kiss of her life. Now the night was perfect.


	33. Vegas Odds

"What are you over there grinning about?"

Joey's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the soft sound in her ear. She sighed with contentment as she stared absently out the window of the 747 that was whisking them far away to the next city. The sky was just beginning to turn to night and the view had taken a breathtaking turn of orange and purple colors from 37,000 feet above the ground. Joey was on top of the moon, mentally and emotionally flying higher than any airplane, fresh off yet another dynamite in ring performance in front of a live Smackdown audience. The double transition from RAW to Smackdown, from Nexus to Corre had been a smooth and successful one. Though still labeled a heel faction, the four were nowhere on the verge of receiving the same level of heat as the Nexus had. They were more like the anti-heroes of the brand, a perfect storyline position just in case a face turn was in the near future.

"Just thinking about tonight," she looked up at him with adoring eyes.

Heath settled into his seat. Immediately after the house show, a few select members of the Smackdown crew had elected to fly to the next city in lieu of making a drive that would have taken well over nine hours. Heath and Joey had nixed the idea of getting a hotel room and instead had flown standby and with the exception of some of the crew members, they were the only WWE members aboard that particular flight. PJ and his girlfriend, Barbie, were right behind them on a plane that had been scheduled to take off just a half hour after they did. Stu had not come forth with the details of his travel arrangements and his co-workers had not questioned him, just instead relieved that he would not be traveling with them.

"You were pretty awesome out there tonight, you know that?" Heath chewed a piece of gum.

"Really? You think?"

"I know. That DDT was sweet. The way you set it up on Chavo after you got rid of Rosa…man, that was like the perfect entrance for PJ to do the 450 splash. The crowd went wild, you heard them."

"Yeah, that was pretty hot. They totally got into it."

"And when you mimicked his move? Oh man. Your top rope work has really improved."

"Thank you. I'm just glad we pulled it off and the fans loved it and everybody was safe."

Heath reached over and ran his thumb over Joey's hand that was placed over the arm rest.

"Babe, I'm really proud of you."

"What for?"

Heath shrugged.

"Everything. This Corre thing is really taking off, just like I knew it would. And it's all you, Joey. Yeah me and PJ gave some ideas and stuff but this was your baby, your brainchild. Put that all together with the fact that you've pretty much been putting our matches together…it's just awesome."

"Thank you. The compliments mean a lot. Creative seems happy."

"They are. We're getting a big push already. And the best part about it is how you're working it out as a three man team leaving out Stu."

Joey swallowed hard.

"So you caught that, huh?" she asked meekly.

"Of course. Come on, babe. It's me. You don't have to hide that from me. I mean, it was kind of our plan from the beginning in order to push him out and market you, me and PJ as the Corre and let his ass ride off into the sunset doing Singles' competition or whatever the hell he is gonna do."

"Do you think the plan is working?"

"I think we're proving a pretty good point, that we can hang, that we don't need him, if that's what you mean."

"I don't want him to get suspicious and try to pull a fast one like he did to get into the group in the first place. You think he's on to us?"

"Maybe. Who knows? With that guy it's hard to tell what he's thinking sometimes."

"You're right."

"But I don't want to talk about that. Hell, I don't even want to think about Stu Bennett right now. Tonight is a good night. We put on a great show, we had a nice meal afterwards and now we're on a plane headed to the next city and it's all quiet. No turbulence, no overcrowding, the temp is perfect, and best of all no crying babies or annoying ass little kids kicking the backs of our seats."

Joey giggled.

"Amen to that one. I guess it is a good night, huh?"

"You bet. I can't complain. I'm just a country boy living my dream and hanging out with my girlfriend."

Joey felt her heart skip a beat. The conversation had just taken a drastic turn. Had she heard right? Heath had referred to her as his girlfriend. Sure they had been hanging out lately and having fun and doing an awful lot of smooching but taking things to another level, getting serious and throwing around labels was something they had not talked about even though it was more than obvious that strong feelings were beginning to develop between the pair. It was now more than attraction, more than friendly flirting.

"Heath, what did you just say?" she cleared her throat.

"What?" he feigned innocence.

Joey huffed and rolled her eyes.

"Be serious. You know what I'm talking about. You…you called me your girlfriend, didn't you?"

"Is that cool?" he raised his eyebrows and ran his fingers through his ginger locks.

"I, I guess. I mean…"

"Let me break it down for you. Just think about it, babe. We're friends, right?"

"Of course."

"We laugh and have fun and enjoy being around each other."

"Okay."

"And when it comes to getting serious, we can talk and share things and just understand each other. Over these last few months we've developed trust and that is important in any kind of relationship, whether its' romantic or not."

"I agree."

"So when two people have that and they get along and they are physically attracted to each other…that's a relationship, right? If I was describing a funny, beautiful, smart, talented, sweet, sexy girl that gives me butterflies every time I see her, most people would think I was talking about a girlfriend, right?"

Joey couldn't contain her smile.

"You really think all those things about me?" she asked softly.

Heath nodded.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"And I really give you butterflies?"

He blushed.

"Sometimes but in a total manly way," he cleared his throat causing Joey to laugh again.

"That's so sweet. Thank you. I, I'm just glad you decided to look further and see those things. Before I know I came off as kind of flighty and simple. I had a lot to prove both professionally and personally. You really helped me out. You made sure our bosses knew what kind of person I really am."

Heath held her much smaller hand inside of his.

"Babe, you are beautiful and awesome and special and so much more," he looked soulfully into her eyes. "And I am gonna make sure everybody knows that."

She leaned over and gave him a kiss that he immediately reciprocated thendeepened. When they pulled away both were left breathless and at a temporary loss for words.

"Wow," Joey struggled to regain a normal breathing pattern.

"What?" Heath grinned.

"Oh shut up. You just want to hear me say it."

"Say what?"

"That you're a good kisser."

"Ah," he popped his gum. "So you like the way I kiss, huh?"

Her eyes danced.

"Maybe."

"Maybe," he shook his head. "That doesn't sound too convincing. Maybe isn't good enough. Maybe you need some more persuasion."

She cocked her head up at him, returning his playful banter.

"Well, I am sort of on the fence…"

Heath brushed his lips softly against hers.

"Let me help you out with that." he breathed. "How was that?"

"Getting warmer," she suppressed a moan.

He moved his head a little lower, implementing a carefully planned attack on the sweet spot on the side of her neck. Immediately Joey gasped. She hadn't been expecting that and needed to grab onto the arm rest for support, grateful she was already sitting considering how weak her knees were.

"Now how am I doing?" he whispered.

God, that Southern accent sounded even sexier when it was low and husky.

"I think you've officially changed my mind but um…"

"What's that?" he nipped behind her ear.

Joey pulled away.

"I think we better stop."

"Why?"

She giggled.

"Because we're on a plane and I don't think we've quite reached mile high club status yet…"

"That could be arranged," he growled.

"…And as much as I like you and as much as I want to, I think we should wait."

Heath pulled away.

"I get it. That's cool."

He was a gentleman after all.

"You mean it? I'm not talking about waiting forever, I just don't want to jump in bed right away. I want the time to be right."

"Yeah, I get it. Sex is important but it isn't everything. I understand. I can maintain," he teased. "The question is, can you?"

"What?"

He popped his collar.

"The One Man Rock Band is used to the chicks being all over him. I mean, it comes with the territory of being an international sex symbol. It's cool. But you? Woooo, you couldn't control yourself, babe. Your paws were all over me. Actually, I feel kind of violated. Where are TSA and the Air Marshalls when you need them?" he pretended to look around.

"Oh shut up," Joey playfully swatted at him, laughing out loud. "Besides, TSA got way more personal with you than I ever have during the security check."

"You got that right," he joked.

"I'll give it to you. You're cute and you are a good kisser and I like you and all but don't let your head swell up too bad. You're not all that."

"Oh I am all that and a bag of chips and an ice cold six pack of beer."

"You're a dork."

"A cute dork that totally blew your mind."

She turned to face him.

"Yeah. Yeah, you did."

"So," Heath began. "We're really gonna do this, huh? Keep hanging out, having fun, flirting, kissing, making out, kicking ass and taking names in the ring…"

Joey bit her lip and nodded.

"We are going to do all of that, um, and just see how it goes and uh…I hope, I think it will take us some place really nice."

"Me too, Joey."

They kissed one more time, both grinning when they stopped.

"Care to make it interesting?" she teased him.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm your girlfriend now and you're my boyfriend. We are having a great time and we're going to keep dating and I guess it's safe to say that the more time we spend together, the more things might get heated. You say you can maintain. Well, I know I can. But if um, things keep getting all hot and heavy, someone is bound to break."

"I get it," he laughed. "Just so you know if this is going where I think it is, I never back down from a challenge, never."

"Put your money where your mouth is."

"Girl, didn't you get enough of placing bets against me in basketball?"

"That was a total fluke and this is way different. Besides, I think I have the upper hand in this one."

"What are the rules?"

"Whoever gives in first, loses, plain and simple."

Heath extended his hand and Joey shook it.

"You're on. May the best person win."

Heath couldn't help but grin a sly grin as he reclined back in the seat. Over the years he had placed his fair share of bets on everything from sports to stupid antics with the guys. He was known for being competitive and not liking to lose but as he took one look at the gorgeous girl sitting across from him, this was one bet he was sure he wouldn't mind losing.


	34. Everybody's A Winner

The WWE had scheduled an autograph signing for three of the four Corre members to do in Waterford, Connecticut. Stu Bennett had been the odd man out, a fact that brought immense relief to the others. A house show had taken place the night before in nearby Uncasville and afterwards, Stu had flown back to Tampa. The remaining three had stayed in the hotel and after a day of media interviews with local radio stations, that night a waiting limousine was there to take them to the two hour event at Borders. The trio was due to fly right out on the red eye back to Florida after the event. The entire limo ride had left PJ Lloyd gagging. Though he was happy for the lack of drama and thrilled that his two friends had finally realized and acted on their true feelings for one another, quite frankly he was tired of the cat and mouse game. Guy talk had revealed that Heath still hadn't gotten any and the constant teasing between he and Joey was a constant. PJ sent a quick text to his girlfriend, Barbara and then sighed as Heath whispered something in Joey's ear. She giggled and said something back, then they began kissing as if they were alone in the backseat. After a few minutes Joey backed off, causing Heath to groan before they were soon at it again.

"Do you two mind?" PJ interrupted. "Seriously?"

"What?" Heath made a face. "Why don't you mind your own business?"

"Mind my own business?" PJ laughed out loud. "Are you kidding me? This space is only so big and I wish I had something else to look at besides you two. Why don't you two get a room already?"

"We have one, thank you very much," Joey pretended to pout.

"Then why don't you use it?" PJ shot back.

"Oh," Heath put his hand over his heart. "That was low, my friend. That one hurt deep."

"And I'm sure that's not the only thing that hurts. Just looking at you two gives me a serious case of blue balls."

Joey grinned over at Heath.

"Baby, someone is a real comedian today."

"I know," Heath shook his head. "He just keeps coming with the jokes."

"At least I'm coming," PJ had to add with another sly grin.

Joey hit him in the back with her small designer purse.

"Not that it is any of your business but Heath is maintaining all on his own. If he really wants it, he is more than welcomed to come get it."

"Nice try, babe," Heath laughed. "But there is no way I am losing this bet to you."

PJ just shook his head.

"You two are crazy."

Heath reclined back in the seat.

"Not that I have much longer to wait anyway. You've got eyes, man. You see how she can't keep her hands off the One Man Rock Band. I see her caving in a less than a week, a few days at the most."

"Dream on, Miller," she rolled her eyes.

The car stopped and pulled up to the Borders and Joey and Heath climbed out. Hand in hand, they practically skipped to their destination. PJ just shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans and followed suit. Heath and Joey were a match made in heaven, two carefree, goofy souls with hearts of gold that were simply meant to be together. The manager of the Borders came over and set up the table where the Corre would be sitting and after treating the guest celebrities to complimentary fruit and finger sandwiches, the meet and greet began. The turnout was relatively huge and the three Superstars were just as excited to meet some of their fans. Security kept the ling moving and one by one, those who had spent hours waiting in line, got a picture, an autograph, and a minute of friendly conversation with three of their favorite wrestlers. Heath was seated on the left, PJ on the right and Joey in between her two tag team partners. As Heath was making polite conversation with a sweet elderly lady who had stood in line with her grandson, Joey subtly unclasped the buttons on her top shirt and slowly peeled it off to reveal a form fitting black tank that her fake breasts were just begging to be freed from. Heath forgot himself midsentence and could barely get his words out as his peripheral vision kept darting over to his girlfriend's chest. When the fan finally left, he shot Joey a mean look.

"You're evil," he muttered.

"What are you talking about?" she asked in an innocent voice.

"You know what you just did. That was a cheap shot. You don't see me taking my jeans off," he whispered.

Joey giggled.

"Mmmm, that is an interesting vision but for your information, it is warm in here."

He rolled his eyes, totally on to her as the next batch of fans made their way over. Throughout the signing, Joey remained playful underneath the table. Her hand tickled his knee then his thigh. She suppressed laughter as he squirmed and tried his best not to react in front of everyone. A couple hours later it was over and they were all headed back to the limo that would take them to the airport. PJ, chatting away on his cell, walked ahead to the car while Joey was engrossed in conversation with one of the employees. Heath had gone off to the bathroom and when he returned, a young female fan was waiting for him. She seemed nervous and giddy, a typical reaction. Heath engaged her, always a sweet guy, grateful to those who supported him. They talked for a few minutes as Joey looked out of the corner of her eye. The girl's body language was awful flirty and Joey was finding herself becoming more and more annoyed. Heath signed one last thing for her, then flashed a bright smile and gave her a quick hug. As he turned to walk away, the bold and brazen fan reached out and slapped his butt. He jumped and laughed, shaking his head as he made his way back to his girlfriend.

"Ready, babe?" he asked.

Joey folded her arms as they walked out to the car and climbed in.

"What was that all about?"

"What?"

"That girl."

"You mean that fan?"

"Whatever. She was all over you."

Heath grinned and popped his gum.

"You jealous or something?"

"Hell no. I love the fans too but at least I don't let them grope me."

"Grope me?" Heath laughed out loud. "I hardly call that groping. She pinched my ass, so what? It's no big deal."

"Fine. I'll start letting guys rub all over my behind and we'll see how you feel about that."

"Guys…" PJ was starting to get uncomfortable.

Heath frowned.

"Joey, I seriously hope you're joking around right now because if you're not, you're about to piss me off."

"You have no right to get pissed off."

"You are being so childish and dramatic right now. Damn. I hate it when you act like that."

"Well, if I'm always so childish and dramatic, why are you even with me?"

"Um, guys…"

"Butt out, PJ!" they both said in unison.

He put his hands up. Yeah, those two were perfect for each other.

"Fine. When we get back to Florida, maybe we can solve that problem and just not be together," Heath suggested.

"Or maybe we don't have to wait and we can just end things right now."

"Fine!"

"Fine with me!"

They both sat in a silent huff as the car traveled down the Interstate taking them to the airport. The ride felt like forever and when they finallu arrived a sheepish PJ stood caught in the crossfires as he held onto his luggage while his friends unloaded their belongings from the trunk.

"You know, you two are really overreacting about this whole thing," the puzzled South African scratched his head.

"She is the one acting like a damned spoiled brat," Heath pointed out.

"And he is the one being an inconsiderate fool," Joey retorted.

"I don't want to be in the middle, I just want you guys to work it out. This is just silly."

"PJ, tell her to apologize and maybe we can get somewhere."

"Joey…" PJ began.

"PJ, tell him there is no chance in hell I am going to apologize when he is the one who was wrong in the first place."

"Heath…" PJ exhaled.

"No. You tell her…"

"Okay, this is getting way out of hand for something very petty. I am not getting involved. I am also not passing any ridiculous messages between you two either. I'll be inside waiting for the plane. When you two grow up, feel free to join me."

With that he walked off, leaving the angry lovers alone.

"See what you did?" she folded her arms. "Way to go."

"Whatever, girl. PJ is my friend. He's not mad at me, he was talking to you."

"Whatever."

"Whatever."

Joey leaned in to grab her last piece of luggage as Heath went to do the same thing. They brushed against each other and he found himself eye level with her rack. For a minute there, he had really started to get mad. He had seen a glimpse of the old Joey, the spoiled girl that had to have everything her way and it had pissed him off. But now he was suddenly starting to forget why he had even gotten mad in the first place.

"What are you looking at?" she demanded.

Heath licked his lips and got serious for a moment.

"You," he said.

Their eyes met and all of a sudden, there was no air. Both were worked up from their argument but now something else was brewing between them. Heath leaned in. His eyes were filled with a mixture of lust and mischief. His voice was low and his breath hot and minty.

"Heath…"

"God, you're hot when you're mad."

She bit her lip.

"So are you."

They kept staring at each other even as the driver approached them.

"Would you like help with your things, Mr. Miller and Miss El?"

"Actually, if you don't mind, there's been a change in plans, man," Heath announced. "Can you take us to the airport hotel? It looks like our flight just got delayed."

The driver nodded and reloaded their bags as they hopped in the back of the car. It took off slowly headed around the block.

"Hotel, huh?" she breathed.

"Is that cool?" he asked.

Joey nodded.

"You read my mind."

The sexual tension in the air was so thick you could slice it with a knife. The car stopped and the pair hopped out as Heath pulled out some loose bills from his wallet and pulled their bags out. He and Joey walked to the front desk with a sense of urgency. Just their luck, three or four people were ahead of them and the couple directly in front of them took extra long. Heath and Joey were practically squirming when it was their turn. Finally they were given a key card and made a bee line to the elevator and their room on the fifth floor. The ride was swift and Joey chuckled as her hapless boyfriend fumbled with the card at the door. Finally it opened and they kicked their bags in, slamming the door behind them. Laughter was quickly suppressed as two pairs of lips crashed into each other. Their tongues snaked around each other, as both let out sexy moans. Heath lifted her off the ground and pushed her into the wall. He sucked gently on her neck as she pulled the tank from her body. He helped her out of her skin tight skinny jeans, looking on in utter appreciation as she stood there in just her bra and panties.

"You're gorgeous," he whispered.

They kissed some more and she instinctively wrapped her long legs around him. He carried her to bed and placed her upon the king sized comfort before collapsing on top of her.

"No fair," she pouted. "You're wearing too many clothes."

He smiled and removed his shirt, kicking off his shoes and socks so he could slide out of his jeans. She had seen him in his underwear plenty of times but this was different. He was masculine and sexy, sweet and confident. And he wanted her. Staring into his eyes and feeling his hardness pressing against the soft flesh of her thigh, she knew they didn't have to wait any longer. The moment, the time was right. Joey pulled him closer to her and they let nature take its course. With gentle curiosity, they finished disrobing one another. When they were completely naked, they took the time to visually appreciate the beauty of the other person's body. Finally hands began to explore hot skin, followed by tongues. They pleasured each other in extended foreplay, catering to each other's needs and rhythms, adjusting to their reactions. When it was time, he looked deeply into her eyes. Joey shivered as he ever so lightly brushed his palm against her forehead.

"You sure you want this, babe?" he asked.

Joey nodded in response and gasped within a few seconds he was deep inside her. He thrust slowly but with passion as they became one and made love for hours. When it was over, they collapsed, sweaty and satisfied in each other's arms. Joey, sweaty and satisifed, laughed out loud.

"I will have the new Cosmic closed toe heel, nude in color from the Jimmy Choo 24/7 perfect shoe collection and for good measure you can throw in a Cashmere Calf leather handbag, off white will do."

"What?"

"You know, my prize for winning our little bet."

"Are you smoking crack, Joey? You didn't win shit, girl."

"Um, who directed the driver to leave the airport and go to a hotel of all places?"

Heath smiled and pulled her closer.

"Yeah, well I didn't exactly see you protesting."

"Hey, I never said I didn't want you. I just said I could hold out longer."

"Let's just be fair and call it an even draw. What do you say?"

"I say sex with you was incredible, baby," she purred.

"Hell, yeah it was. You feel okay?"

"I feel absolutely fabulous. That was great and I feel so happy and so close to you right now."

Heath placed a kiss on her forehead. What had started out as a prelude to a bad night had turned out to be a pretty good one. He had gotten laid finally and that was pretty awesome in itself but it was more than that. Joey was an amazing woman and he realized in that bed that he was slowly falling in love. That filled him with an incredible sense of happiness. It didn't matter about a stupid bet. In the end, both of them had won and as their eyes met before another kiss, he knew the good times would only continue.


	35. Sometimes They Come Back

In Raleigh, North Carolina, the stars of WWE's Smackdown milled about the empty arena. In just hours the seats and stands would be filled with excited fans. But before that moment, before the cameras started to roll, it was like any other average day at an average workplace. Except the Superstars weren't your average employees. To the rest of the world, they were icons, enigmas, heroes, characters. But in truth they were men and women with real flaws and faults, real people with real emotions just trying to live out a dream. As the crew prepped the center stage of the RBC Center, the Divas and Superstars were standing around mingling with each other, most dressed down in jeans or workout clothes in lieu of their infamous and more revealing work attire. Standing nearby where the ring was to be set up, Joey El talked with her older sister, Layla. The women giggled and held onto their Starbucks cups, engaging in animated chatter that showcased their happy moods. A few feet away, hanging out with the guys after a workout at a local gym was Heath Miller.

Heath couldn't stop staring at Joey. They had started off as mere acquaintances and then had been thrust into a triangle of lies and deceit. Somehow they had managed to become real friends and before either knew it, that friendship had blossomed into something more. Never in a million years would the native West Virginian have imagined how much the girl who once annoyed him so much he had pulled over in the middle of a desolate highway late night and cursed out loud, kicking the tire of the rental car in frustration, would be the one girl who would eventually steal his heart and for the first time make him want to actually settle down. They were a solid match together and had been having a ball on the road. The Corre was holding its own on the brand, securing mid card status with the occasional main event thrown in the mix. Things were going great and more recently, they had only gotten better. The sexual tension had been damned near electric. Joey was beautiful and sexy and Heath had not been able to deny his attraction for her. The feeling had obviously been more than mutual. They had tried to put off the inevitable for weeks but days of flirting and making out and nights slept side by side in the same bed had proved to be too much. They had finally given into temptation and it had been nothing short of magical. They were compatible in bed, an intense first round of hot, passionate, unbridled sex that led to a second session that was sweet, slow, and tender. Since then, the couple had been inseparable.

"Look at your face," PJ laughed.

"What?" Heath frowned, still captivated by his girlfriend.

"That look. What do you call it? The googly eyes, I believe you said. And what is it that you used to call me?" he rubbed his beard. "Ah, now I remember…pussy whipped."

"Get out of here, man," Heath scoffed. "I don't have googly eyes and I'm definitely not whipped."

"Could have fooled me but I get it. You know I like to give you a hard time but at the end of the day, I think what you and Joey have is pretty incredible. You both look really happy and she's a good girl. I know how I feel about Barb and uh…being in love is amazing feeling."

Heath popped a piece of gum in his mouth.

"I don't know, dude. I like Joey…a lot. She's great. Every day things just keep getting better and better. Before her, I was all about partying and having fun and hooking up. Being in a different city every night, getting recognized all the time, all the women around…man, I was having a blast. I thought a girlfriend would mess all that up but the truth is Joey is more important than that. She makes me happy on the road. Hell, when I'm not with her, I think about being with her. It's crazy. I don't think I've ever felt like this about a girl before."

PJ gave his friend a smile and a pat on the shoulder as one of the producer's, joined by referee, Justin King, approached them to talk about the upcoming match. Meanwhile, Layla excused herself leaving her little sister alone but Joey was not by herself for long.

"Johana…"

Joey jumped at the voice behind her. She turned around to see Stu.

"Hey," she cleared her throat.

"Hello."

An awkward silence ensued.

"Um, if you want to talk about the match tonight…"

"I want to talk to you but it has nothing to do with the match."

His voice was unusually soft.

"Stu…"

He reached into his back pocket and pulled something out, handing it to Joey. She unfolded it and saw that it was a brochure for an apartment complex in Tampa, followed by a lease. Upon further investigation, she saw that Stu's signature had been scrawled at the bottom.

"There you have it."

"I, I don't get it. What is this?"

"I left Jacqueline. I just couldn't take it anymore."

Joey's eyes widened in shock.

"What?"

"It's over," he handed her a business card from his wallet. "That is the name and contact information for my divorce attorney. We are now legally separated and divorce papers will be filed in the court house next week."

"Oh…oh my God. Are you serious? I, I don't know what to say. Stu…"

Across the way, four men huddled together to plan the spots for a match that would take place in a few hours. They were two tag members short of their team but the choreography was simple enough that they could fill the others in later. It called for PJ's Justin Gabriel to attempt a clothesline against his opponent but instead accidentally knock out his partner, Slater. Even though it was a move they had performed hundreds of times before, the two friends climbed in the ring and worked out exactly how they would do it together. They tried it a few different ways a few different times and when they were satisfied, TJ "Tyson Kidd" Wilson hopped up on the apron to go over something with PJ. Heath stood on the outskirts and it was there that he first started paying attention to what was happening just under his nose. He saw his girlfriend, Joey standing uncomfortably next to her ex and their wrestling partner, Stu Bennett. Stu looked solemn and calm and judging by the way Joey was looking up at him with a look of surprise mixed with empathy, it was cause for Heath to become suspicious. When Stu reached out and touched her arm, the red head visibly tensed. Turning his head back to the action that was happening inside the ring, he made sure that his ears were still in tune with what was going on outside of it. The conversation was obviously serious and they were standing a little too close for comfort to Heath's liking but with all the commotion around them, it was hard to hear.

"I was wrong, Johana. It is hard for me to admit that. I treated you badly and for that I apologize, love. I took you for granted and let my sloth and unfounded fears hold me back from the promises I made you. I hurt you in so many unspeakable ways and for that I am ashamed. You are an important part of my life and now that we are no longer together, I miss you terribly. I can only hope that I am not too late."

Joey swallowed hard.

"We can't do this. Dammitt, Stu…"

"Please just hear me out. I am asking for another chance, a chance I know I don't deserve but after everything we have been through together, I ask, no I beg that you please just hear me out."

She nervously looked around. Thank God Heath was not paying attention to them.

"Not here."

"Fine," he agreed. "Meet me in the back by the Green Room. We can have more privacy there."

"Alright," she nodded, letting him walk ahead first.

She shifted her weight and bit her lip, her mind thinking a million thoughts a minute as she discreetly waited a few minutes to follow him. The news had come out of the blue. In fact, Joey had not spoken to Stu outside of forced pre-match conversation that lasted only minutes in months. When she had finally had the courage to end things, it had been final in her mind and in her heart. She had fallen for this man and he had lied to her repeatedly. He had refused to leave his wife and had maintained an intimate relationship with her. He had manipulated, controlled and emotionally abused Joey, the last straw coming in the form of a wakeup call when his anger became too much and the shoves and grabs had turned into a full on punch to the face. In that one frightening and sobering moment, she knew that it was over. And now here he was so sincere and so unexpected delivering the news she had waited nearly a year to hear. Still inside the ring, Heath Miller was on the verge of blowing a gasket. Out of the corner of his eye, he had continued to peep the interaction between Joey and Stu. Then he had seen Stu walk away. There was something odd about the way the two looked at each other and then looked around to see if anyone was watching them. When Joey slipped away just a few minutes after Stu did, Heath felt like he might throw up. His heart pounded and his palms were all sweaty. Deep in his heart he knew something was going on and he had to find out what it was.

"Thank you for coming," Stu acknowledged.

"We can't be here long," Joey answered. "Say whatever it is you have to say and then go."

Stu swallowed hard, humble and grateful that she was even talking to him.

"I ended things with Jacqueline because I wasn't in love with her. She doesn't make me feel the way you do and I finally realized that. I should have left a long time ago and I regret that I didn't. I regret so many things because I know my actions caused you pain and that was never my intention."

"Why are you doing this?" she fought back tears.

He moved in closer, dangerously close, so close that it made her heart skip a few beats and it made her breath catch in her throat as she shivered involuntarily.

"Because it's the right thing to do," he reached out and tenderly stroked the side of her face. "And because I love you."

There it was. Those three little words he had never uttered despite the fact that she had wanted, wished, and begged for him to say for so long but he had never mouthed them. He had never initiated them and had only returned hers with a simple, "you too". Now there it was. Everything she had ever wanted was right in front of her. He was sincere and apologetic. He had left his wife for good and he wanted to commit to her.

"Stu…"

"Please, Johana. I made so many mistakes, love. Allow me to make it up to you. I love you so much. Darling, I am in love with you."

They were so caught up in each other, so caught up in the moment that they did not hear the footsteps quietly approaching them. Standing around the corner was an eavesdropping Heath. He had decided to follow them but they were nowhere to be found. Just when he was going out of his mind, he heard voices near the exit. He walked over and saw Stu and Joey huddled together in a corner speaking quietly. Joey looked like she was about to cry and Stu looked as regal and charming and conniving as ever. Heath had walked up and heard Stu confessing that he had left his wife, and he saw a crying Joey asking him why. And then Stu had dropped a bombshell in the form of the L word. He was begging for a second chance and it looked like Joey wanted to give him one.

"Stu, I love you, too. God, do you know how long I've waited for this moment, waited for you to come back, waited for you to pour your heart out?"

Heath wanted to vomit in his mouth. After everything that bastard had put her through, now she was lowering herself to take him back. And after everything Heath and Joey had been through together…the laughs, the friendship, the growing bond, making love to each other…now she was willing to forget all about that and apparently all about Heath. Anger consuming him, he turned and stalked off.

"I've made you wait long enough," he grinned.

Joey looked away.

"Yeah , you did…which is exactly why none of this matters."

Stu's eyebrows narrowed.

"What did you just say?"

"You heard me. I do love you, Stu and I was willing to forgive you so much but it's too late…and you've done too much. I'm sorry but we're over and there is nothing you can do about it. I don't want to be with you anymore."

Stu's jaw tightened with rage.

"Tell me you're joking."

She sadly shook her head.

"There is nothing funny about this. I'm sorry, Stu. I have to go."

Joey brushed right past him and he grabbed her hand.

"Is this about that waste of skin Miller?" he roughly demanded. "Are you going to finally admit you have a thing for him?"

Joey looked down at his grip on her before jerking away and staring him dead in the eye sans fear.

"Yes. Is that what you want to hear? Not only do I have a thing _for_ Heath but I have a thing _with_ him. We are together."

"I bloody knew it!"

"It's not what you think, not that I owe you an explanation of any kind. When you accused me of sleeping with Heath back when I was still with you, back when he and I had to pretend to be a couple, there was nothing going on. In fact, I was a real bitch and Heath probably should have run the other way but he didn't. Because he's a good guy. He protected me and he stood by me and I fell in love with him. We are together for real now and we're happy and that's the end of it. I don't care what you think and there is nothing you can do about it."

"Johana!"

"Good bye, Stu," she turned and walked away.

He was seething and watching her like a hawk but she didn't care. And she didn't care that he had left Jackie or that he was suddenly willing to be the knight in shining armor. None of it mattered anymore. Joey El's mind was made up. All she cared about was Heath Miller.


	36. Be Careful What You Wish For

The show in Raleigh was intense to say the least. Still reeling from the earlier rejection, Stu Bennett was in a major huff. He had taken his sulking and pouting into his Wade Barrett character and it showed. Joey knew him and knew him well and she expected as much. On the other hand, was the action from her boyfriend. She had never seen Heath that intense in the ring. He was focused and determined and wrestled with an aggression she had never seen before. It was almost too much and he barely acknowledged her or the other members of The Corre. All night she and PJ shot each other puzzled looks but shrugged it off after their victory. They made their way to the back and Heath marched straight to the showers. While waiting for him, Joey ended up in a conversation with Vickie Guererro. 20 or so minutes later, Joey found PJ gathering the last of his bags.

"Great match tonight, I am beat!"

He smiled at her.

"Me too. I can't wait to crash. Was gonna give Barb a call but I think I'll eat first. Want to grab a bite?" he asked.

"Sure. Is Heath ready?"

PJ frowned.

"I thought you knew already. He left."

"Left? When?"

"A few minutes ago."

"No, I didn't know that. He didn't tell me but did he say where he was going?"

He shrugged.

"No. Probably back to the hotel. He was being pretty weird tonight, even more weird than usual."

Joey nodded and agreed to have dinner with her friend. She and PJ had dinner at a Bahama Breeze, a restaurant PJ had favorited in Tampa Bay. The food was delicious but between her conversation with Stu earlier and Heath's strange behavior, she wasn't in the mood to eat. She picked at her food as PJ chatted away on his cell phone with his girlfriend who was wrestling on the RAW brand. An hour or so later, PJ paid the bill and they went back to their hotel. Joey let herself into the king sized suite she was sharing with her boyfriend.

"Babe, you here?" she called out.

The room was quiet and dark but she could see the figure lying in the bed. The light from the street lamps cast a glow into the room. He was lying on his back, shirtless, blankets covering him from the waist down. His hands were folded behind his head and upon further inspection, she saw that his eyes were open.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes and turned on one of the lights, plopping down on the bed beside him.

"What do you mean, what am I doing here? This is our room."

He wouldn't look at her.

"We booked it together but I'm surprised to see you here."

She frowned.

"You're being extra weird tonight. What's going on?"

"Where have you been?" he ignored her comment and question.

"PJ wanted to get something to eat so we found a BB's."

"Sounds nice," he said flatly.

"I was waiting for you to get out of the shower but you must have gotten past me when Vickie was talking to me. I was hoping you would join us."

"I wasn't hungry."

"Are you okay?"

He shook his head.

"Not really.

"Are you sick?"

"You could say that."

"Anything I could do to help?"

She smiled and crawled over closer to him, kissing down his bare arm.

"Joey, don't," he commanded, his Southern accent thick and forceful.

"Heath…"

"What?"

"Something is wrong. Talk to me, baby. Did something happen in the match tonight?"

"Joey, you and me are honest with each other, right?"

"Yes."

"Do you feel like you can talk to me, tell me stuff?"

"Of course."

He finally looked right at her.

"Do you have something to tell me?"

Joey bit her lip. For a minute she thought he was onto her with the whole Stu thing. Nothing had happened of course but she knew if she told Heath he would probably worry unnecessarily now that Stu and Jackie were officially broken up. Some things were better off left unsaid and since he hadn't seemed to notice her talking to her ex, she figured what he didn't know would not hurt him.

"No," she replied innocently. "Why?"

Heath just laughed sarcastically and shook his head.

"Whatever, Joey."

"What?"

"You know something, I just don't get you. How do you do it?"

"Heath, you are talking in circles. What in the world is going on?"

"I don't get a lot of things. I don't get how you can let someone else use you. I don't get how you can just use me. I don't get how you can go sneak off and be with him and then basically look in my face and lie about it."

She closed her eyes. He was angry. And he knew about Stu. She had denied it to protect his feelings but was instantly regretting her decision.

"I can explain…"

"So now you want to explain?"

"I did see Stu today."

"No shit," he spat.

"It's not what you think. He told me he wanted to talk to me so we talked."

"And?"

She took a deep breath.

"He left his wife. Stu and Jackie are getting divorced for real this time. He showed me a brochure of his new apartment and all these legal papers. He, um…he also told me that he loved me and that he missed me and that he was sorry and wanted me back."

Heath sucked in a breath. He knew it!

"Well, I guess you're happy now. That's what you wanted."

She made a face.

"What are you talking about? How can you say that?"

"You've been cheating with the guy and nagging him to leave his Old Lady so you two can go do whatever and now after all this time you finally got your wish."

"I don't want to be with Stu."

"So now you're gonna look right in my face and tell a lie?"

"Heath, I am not lying."

"He used you, Joey. You were nothing but a piece of ass to fill a lonely bed on the road. He lied to you. He almost got you fired. He made you look like a whore, like a fool in front of everyone. And as if none of that was bad enough, he beat your ass. After all that, he shows you a couple of apartments and you just go running back. Are you serious?"

"Heath…"

"How stupid can you be? Is the dick that good?"

"Heath!"

Joey had gone from a state of shock to being absolutely horrified.

"Oh don't sit there like little Miss Innocent. I saw you with him. You lied to me."

"Fine," tears filled her eyes. "I did talk to him in the arena and privately backstage but I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to get upset or think I was gonna go back to him. And besides, he did tell me all that and nothing happened."

"Nothing happened? Want to try again, Joey?"

"Heath, you are out of control!"

"No. I saw you talking to him by the ring and I got suspicious. Just to think, for a minute there I felt bad because I didn't trust you. But I followed you anyway and you know what I saw? I saw y'all standing all close and staring into each other's eyes. And then I heard him say he loves you and then he practically begged you to take him back. And I heard you say that you love him too and you've waited for that moment."

"And then?"

He sat up and shrugged his shoulders.

"What else is there? You think I was gonna stick around for the exciting conclusion? What was that, y'all getting it on in the locker room?"

"It wasn't like that."

"So you're gonna deny it now? I'm lying? I'm seeing shit?"

"No. It, it did happen. You saw and heard right but that wasn't all of it."

"Save it. I don't want to hear it.'"

"Just listen to me," she reached out to him.

"No, cause you're full of shit! You know what I think? I think you've wanted him all along. I think all that stuff you said about leaving him alone and being over him was a bunch of bullshit."

She bit her lip.

"So basically you think I've been lying to you this whole time?"

"Honestly I do."

"So what about everything with us the last few months?"

"What about it?"

"Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"Damn, Joey. Does it mean anything to you? I don't think it does. I don't think it ever did. I think it was a joke."

"A joke?"

"You heard me. You were waiting on Stu's sorry ass but you were feeling sorry for yourself and needed something to pass the time away. You were bored and you were horny so you used me until you could have what you really wanted."

He was angry and hitting below the belt. She knew he meant what he was accusing her of and that in itself killed her.

"How dare you say that to me? And damn you for spitting on everything special we have ever shared. That is so messed up."

"I'm tired of this. I'm tired of lying and I am tired of being lied to. I am tired of being caught up in your game. And I am really tired of you."

"What are you saying?" her lip trembled.

"I'm saying I don't want to deal with this anymore and I'm not. I won't. I'm done, Joey. We're done."

"Heath!"

"I don't want to be with you and outside of the stuff with the Corre, I don't think we should talk either. I think you've been playing me this whole time and you're gonna end up sleeping with Stu again behind my back. And if for some miraculous reason that is not the case, then I caught you with my own eyes sneaking around talking to him and when I called you on it, you looked right at me and told a bold face lie. If it was no big deal, why did you feel you had to hide stuff from me? I can't deal with that. You and Stu have way too much history together and the whole thing is pretty shady. So go do whatever but do it on your own because I want out. I think you should go."

"You're breaking up with me?" she cried.

He sighed. He was hurt and angry but it still bothered him to see her cry. It always had.

"Don't make this any harder than it has to be, Joey."

"You're not being fair. This isn't right."

"Yeah? Give me one good reason why I shouldn't do this."

She swallowed hard.

"Because I don't love Stu. I, I love you and I think, no, I know that you love me too."

24 hours ago she would have been right and he would have been thrilled to hear her say it first but too much had happened.

"Well, you think wrong," he responded coldly.

She had never seen him that cruel.

"Heath…"

"Either you leave or I do. I'm not gonna sit here all night and do this with you, Joey."

His eyes said it all. Wiping her tears, she stood and wordlessly left their room. The short elevator ride down to the next floor where her sister was staying felt like forever. After a few knocks, Layla answered the door and was floored when her little sister collapsed in her arms in a sea of tears. Joey was devastated. She had waited and wished for the day when Stu would tell her that he loved her and that he had left his wife for good. Now that day had come and instead of bringing her happiness, it had only brought devastation. Stu didn't even matter anymore. The one she thought she loved had ruined things with that man she really did love.


	37. Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

Layla El had seen it before but never that bad. She was the big sister and she had been taking care of Joey all her life. From girlhood crushes gone wrong to frustratingly watching Joey's destructive cycle with Stu, she had been there many a night to hold her little sis while she cried. But nothing had compared to the latest heartbreak. From the time the raven haired beauty had shown up at Layla's hotel room in the middle of the night, she had sobbed nonstop. Sleep had not been an option for either woman as a worried Layla had sat up all night taking care of Joey. They had flown back to Miami the next day and Layla had given her sister a pair of oversized sunglasses to wear. They made it through the airport almost outburst free but when the friendly TSA agent reminded Joey to remove her shoes for the security checkpoint, it triggered a violent onset of emotion. Joey sobbed quietly to herself in a corner by the gate and on the plane the whole way home. By the time they got back to Florida, Joey's eyes were red and swollen and her head ached from all the constant crying.

"Here babe," Layla said as she walked over to where her sister was wrapped up on the couch.

"What's this?" Joey barely looked up.

"Dinner. Chinese takeout from your favorite place."

"I'm not hungry," Joey mumbled.

"Oh Joe, for Christ's sake. Please don't do this to me. I know how upset you are but you are really starting to freak me out. You haven't had a thing to eat all day."

Joey pulled the covers over her head and Layla just yanked them off again.

"Lay, I know you're just trying to help and I love you for it but I just want to be left alone right now."

"We both know I'm not gonna do that. Sweetie, please sit up and talk to me. I'm really worried. I have never seen you like this before."

Joey let out a deep breath and half emerged from the sanctity of her man made cocoon. She ran her fingers through her hair.

"That's because I've never felt this way before," she quietly admitted.

"What happened?" Layla looked her in the eye. "I mean, I got the gist of it but you were so upset at times I could barely understand you."

Joey shook her head.

"Everything was going great…so perfect. You know, when I first met Heath and even from the time we had to start pretending we were a couple…he never seemed like my type. Sure he's cute and all but I never imagined that I would want to be with him for real. Over time I got to know him and we became friends and then I guess we were attracted to each other the whole time and stuff but one day I just looked up and knew that he was my guy. It has been so awesome since. He is such a great friend and an even more amazing boyfriend. Heath keeps me laughing and he is so passionate and knowledgeable about wrestling. And he's a real sweetheart. His kindness sort of blows me away sometimes. I never expected to be so happy with him and I never expected to fall in love."

"Gosh, why does Stu have to ruin everything?"

"Tell me about it. Even though you hated him, I used to really love him. I always thought we were meant to be. I honestly believed all his lies and bought all his bullshit. I thought he would leave Jackie so we could be together and everything would be okay somehow. When that didn't happen, I was devastated. I used to pray he would come around and yesterday he did. Everything I wanted and waited for, I got. And you know what? It didn't matter. I was over it, I am over it. It's too late. Stu has done too many bad things to me and I know he is not someone I need to be with. Even better I found an amazing guy that treats me like gold every single day."

"Joey, I know this isn't your fault and it's not like I'm blaming you but why did you even hear him out?"

Joey shrugged.

"I don't know. At first I thought it was Corre business. Then he dropped the bombshell and it threw me off guard so I just kind of went with it. But I knew we couldn't have that kind of conversation out in the open so I followed him to the back."

"And you didn't see Heath looking at you guys or anything?"

She shook her head.

"I had no idea but he was so mad. He said he saw us together."

"But all he saw was two people talking."

"I know."

Layla bit her lip.

"Don't get mad but are you sure nothing happened?"

"What? No! Lay, come on. Of course not."

"Sorry. I had to ask, besides, I am trying to figure out what pissed Heath off so much aside from you lying to him."

"I know. I shouldn't have lied but I knew if I told Heath the truth, that I had talked to Stu and that he had left his wife and was wanting me back, I knew it wouldn't end good. I knew Heath would get super pissed and probably start freaking out thinking that I was going to leave or something. The one thing I tried to avoid is the very thing that ended up happening. He saw me, got suspicious, followed us to the Green Room, eavesdropped and only heard a piece of the conversation."

"Yeah…the most damning piece."

"But that is his fault. That's what he gets for listening to only half of what was being said," she huffed and folded her arms.

"True but you have to fix this. You just need to explain. It was a huge misunderstanding."

"I tried calling him this morning," she said sadly. "I thought it would be better if he could sleep on it, have time to cool off but um…it didn't work. I called and he would send it to voicemail after a few rings then he ended up shutting it off completely."

"Oh sweetie, I'm sorry. Look, I know this seems really bad but I have a feeling that Heath will come around."

"I don't think so."

"He loves you, I can just tell. The guy is crazy about you. Don't give up so easily. Something tells me you can work it out, you just have to make him listen to you so he can know the truth."

"What if he won't, Lay?" Joey turned to her sister,

"I, I don't know."

She had no words. She loved Joey and wanted to make it all better but there was nothing she could say or do to fix the situation.

"Heath is the best thing that has ever happened to me. He doesn't take my crap. In fact, he calls me on it. When I am with him I am a better woman, a better person. We just really click. It's a healthy relationship. He's not married or abusive or selfish or mean. He's just a lovable country boy who will do anything for the people he cares about it. I had it made and I messed it all up."

"I'm sorry, sweetie," Layla put a sympathetic hand on her sister's knee.

"I miss him so much," Joey's voice began to break.

"I know you do."

"I miss the way he sings all the lyrics to every song that comes on the radio when we're traveling. I miss the way he snores at night then denies it in the morning. I miss the way he calls me babe and the way he says naw mean, all the time," she sniffled.

Layla made a face.

"Sweetie, I get that but um…it only has been 24 hours."

"I know," Joey began to sob. "I love him."

She rested her head, snotty nose and all on Layla's waiting shoulder.

"It will be okay. Don't be sad. We'll figure something out, okay?"

"Promise?" the younger girl sobbed.

Layla hated to make promises that she couldn't keep but she couldn't stand to her sister so sad. Besides, Joey and Heath were so cute together, so meant to be that there had to be a way for the pair to get back together and somehow iron out their differences.

"I promise, Joe. Just stop crying. Please. You're going to end up making yourself sick."

"Okay," she blew her nose loudly.

"We are going to get our minds off this and try to have a good night, okay?"

"Alright."

"Now what should we do? Want to watch a movie?"

"Sure."

"Sounds good. What should we go for? Romantic comedy? Horror? Suspense?"

Joey's bottom lip began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Heath likes movies," she said sadly.

Layla fought the urge to roll her eyes.

"Okay, so we'll do something else? Something that maybe Heath doesn't like or at least doesn't remind you of him."

"Everything reminds me of him and I'm scared I am never gonna be with him again. He was supposed to fly here to Miami with us and spend the three days off with me. We were going to go to the beach and go clubbing and…"

"Oh Joey…"

"He should be here right now. We would probably be hanging out at the pool, then we'd come in and eat dinner and chill then get ready to go party in South Beach. After that we'd come home and have really good sex."

"No details, please," Layla covered her ears.

"And then he'd hold me in his arms until I fell asleep," Joey ignored her. "And I'd wake up in the middle of the night and he'd be sitting on the couch naked eating pork skins watching Animal Planet. It's so cute…"

"What?" Layla looked absolutely horrified.

"He gets restless a lot late at night and he hates waking me up so he usually just goes in the living room. So sweet…"

"First of all, that is not cute or sweet, it is actually kind of gross. Gah, eating pork skins in the nude…who does that? I like Heath but he is so country!"

"I know," a misty eyed Joey reminisced.

Layla narrowed her eyes and looked at her own couch.

"And please tell me he has never done that here on this couch."

"Don't rub it in," Joey pouted.

Layla breathed a quick sigh of relief before sighing and shaking her head.

"I am gonna run and use the bathroom. When I come back, I want you dry eyed and ready to do something at least a little fun," she stood, giving her little sister a kiss on the cheek.

Joey frowned. How in the world could she have any fun when she was missing her boyfriend and her whole world was falling apart? Deciding to take one last stab at it, she reached beneath the blankets and found her cell phone. His name was on speed dial and she pressed the button. Her heart pounded as it rang and rang then finally went to voicemail.

"_Hey, it's Heath. Sorry, I missed your call but I'm a busy dude, naw mean? Leave a message and I'll get you back."_

Joey closed her eyes.

"Hey. It's me…again. Just wanted to hear your voice. I was hoping to talk to you. Look, I know you're still mad at me and I get it but I can explain. It's not what you think and if you could just hear me out, you would understand that. I really want to talk to you and I miss you so much. I, I know this looks bad but you know me. You know the person I've become because of you and that means you know my heart. I had to learn to trust you and that was very hard for me but I did it now I'm asking you to do the same thing…just trust me, baby. But anyway. Um, call me when you get this. Please. Bye."

With that, she hung up. She had tried her best but her best wasn't good enough. It hurt and all she could do was cry.


	38. Unclaimed Baggage

Heath Miller stared up at the ceiling of his apartment. A few feet away in the corner his bags were packed, ready to go for the next big road trip. Normally he looked forward to traveling. It was fun seeing new places and doing different things. He loved wrestling and the fans. He was living the life he had always wanted, always dreamed about. Now he had it. Along the way, he had unexpectedly found love. Joey El had blown into his life and absolutely changed it. It had been a long and rocky road but in the end he had fallen head over heels in love and they had been happy. Or at least he thought they were.

"Knock, knock," came an accent laced voice on the other side of the door.

"It's open," Heath drawled.

PJ Lloyd walked into his best friend's living room. Heath was dressed but sprawled out on the couch with his boots off aimlessly bouncing a tennis ball on the floor. It was quiet and dark inside.

"You ready to go?" PJ asked.

"Yep," Heath nodded, not even looking over.

PJ sighed and took a seat.

"Talk to me, man."

"About what?"

"You know what. It has been three whole days. Have you talked to Joey yet?"

"Nope," Heath shook his head.

PJ figured as much. He and Heath had been friends for a few years, developing a brotherly relationship during their FCW days. The bond had been cemented as their careers had simultaneously progressed to the WWE's main stage. PJ had liked Heath instantly. He was one of the good guys, fiercely loyal to the people he cared about, hopelessly devoted to their sport and one of the funniest and most fun loving people PJ had ever met. He was the ultimate bachelor enjoying all the attention from the opposite sex indeed, never in a big hurry to settle down. But the unexpected had happened when Joey El had been added to the Nexus. A series of events had taken place that had ended up with them being on Smackdown in the Corre and Heath and Joey being together. They were a cute couple and things had been great between them until their partner and Joey's ex resurfaced with a bombshell.

"Heath, come on, man."

"What?"

"You know what. How long is this going to go on?"

"What?" Heath asked again.

PJ rolled his eyes.

"You being stubborn. When are you going to talk to her?"

Heath shrugged. It had been three whole days and he had been miserable. They were supposed to spend the break doing fun things together in Miami but he had overheard a conversation between her and Stu that had sent him into a tailspin. She had declared her love for him and told him she had been waiting for him to leave his wife. Then she had looked Heath in the eye and lied about it. He had reacted with anger but truth be told, it had been a crushing blow. Her betrayal was devastating and he had never been so heartbroken.

"I have nothing to say to Joey."

"Heath, we're about to get on a plane and for the next three days, we are all gonna be around each other the whole time. You can't just ignore her."

"Watch me."

"What about the matches?"

Heath conceded with an exasperated huff.

"Fine. Work is work. You know how I feel about that. I'm not gonna let nothing get in the way of that so yeah, we can all talk and plan stuff for the matches but anything outside of that, I have nothing to say to Joey or Stu."

"Okay."

Heath turned his head.

"You say that like I'm the one that's wrong."

"I didn't say anything."

"But you're thinking it."

"Look, I am friends with both you and Joey. I just don't want to be in the middle."

"You're not and you won't be. She's the one who's being all shady and I am done with her ass. If you still want to talk to her, that's fine. That's on you."

"But that's the thing, I just don't get it."

"Don't get what, PJ?"

"Joey has changed, she has really matured. And you two are perfect together. Everything is going well. We worked so hard to put the Corre together and Joey can't stand Stu. Hell, after everything he has done, I'm not exactly a fan of the guy either."

"Your point?"

"My point is, I just don't see her buying Stu's bullshit and taking him back, not after he hit her and especially after how happy you two are. It just doesn't make sense. I don't think she would do something like that to you."

"Doesn't make any sense to me either but that's the way it is, dude."

"Are you sure? I mean, maybe you misunderstood…"

"I know what I heard, man, I'm not crazy."

"I believe you, it's just that Joey is a good person and I know how she feels about you. I guess I don't want to believe it."

"You? How do you think I feel?"

"You tried to call her?"

"No."

"She still calling you?"

Heath nodded.

"She's left like ten messages."

"Have you listened to them yet?"

"All of them. She, um, she's pretty upset, wants to talk, says she can explain."

"Then let her."

"What is to explain?"

"She was sneaking around with that fool behind my back and she lied about it. I can't deal with that shit, man. I don't care how happy we were. What kind of a relationship can you have without trust? And right now I don't trust a word that comes out of her mouth."

"Heath…"

"You know damned well if you were in this situation with Barb, you would feel the exact way I do."

PJ sighed. He couldn't argue there.

"You're right but I love Barbara very much. And if something happened, as angry and hurt as I may be, I'd want to know the truth, the whole truth. People do deserve the benefit of the doubt. Maybe you should…"

"What? Hear Joey out?"

"Yes."

Heath shook his head emphatically.

"Can't do it. Won't do it."

"And why not?"

Heath sucked in a breath and looked away.

"Because I really care about that girl. I had real feelings for her."

"I know you do. And that's all the reason why you shouldn't just give up so easily, man."

"I got too much going for me now. I'm at the place in my career I've worked for years to get. I was single, happy, playing the field, living the good life. Don't you see? Everything was perfect until she came along, until I let my guard down and fell for Joey. That messed everything up. I let her get in my head, PJ, and it really messed with me. It's affecting my mood, it's screwing up everything. I can't afford to let that happen. So it's best that I just count my losses now and get over it and move on. Because if I think about it and start letting her play all these games with my head and heart, it's just gonna fuck everything up. She and Stu will be off doing their thing and where does that leave me?"

PJ sighed and tried to understand as best he could. He put himself in his best friend's shoes. He knew Heath was hurting. He knew he was in a bad place. Like it or not, PJ was already involved because he was friends with both Heath and Joey and now they had formed this professional partnership in the Corre. Whatever decisions the lovers made could have a profound impact on his own career. But still he felt bad for them and something in his gut told him there was more to the story. Heath was a grown man and a stubborn one at that. He was mad and he wasn't budging so all PJ could do was hope for the best and leave the situation be.

"Okay. I get where you're coming from. I guess there's nothing left to do but get on the road."

Heath bounced the tennis ball again. PJ was right. It was time to go. Without another word, he slowly rose to his feet. He gathered his already packed belongings and piled everything into PJ's car. It was the South African's turn to drive and leave his vehicle inside the Tampa International airport garage. They made the short drive in silence, Heath not even participating in his usual radio sing along. PJ parked where they normally did and the two men unloaded and checked their stuff, then drug their carryon luggage to the ticket booth. The security line wasn't too long and luckily the TSA agents were in a gentle mood. Soon they were at the gate where the airplane was already docked. Within a half hour they were seated side by side on the flight that had a smooth and timely takeoff. PJ bobbed his head to the beat of whatever was on his Dr. Dre headphones. Heath looked around. He wanted to go to sleep but a peaceful rest would not come so easily. Instead his eyes wandered to the aisle across from them. There sat a couple, about his age. They chatted happily and sat with their bodies angled close to each other. Their tones were hushed and every once in a while she would let out a soft giggle and he would make a sweet gesture like moving a stray piece of her hair to the side. They were sickeningly sweet, probably still in that honeymoon phase. But Heath could not take his eyes off of them. It reminded him of the kind of relationship he'd had just days ago. It had been new and fresh and exciting and sexy. Above all he, they had been happy. Or at least he thought so. He shifted in his seat. Happy couples didn't lie to each other or sneak around with their exes behind the other's back. Popping his gum, he shook his head and bitterly stewed over the misfortune of his situation the rest of the flight.

The plane landed on schedule and PJ and Justin emerged, headed for the baggage claim. There had been a brief delay so the only thing to do was patiently wait. A few fans recognized the pair and politely approached them for picture opportunities and autographs. The men graciously obliged. Moments later the mechanical issue with the baggage rotator had not been fixed so the tired passengers remained at a standstill. One floor above, sisters Layla and Joey El exited their own plane and made their way downstairs after a quick trip to the restroom. They groaned when they heard of the airport's building wide technical failure. The area was crowded and the girls with Starbucks cups in hand, wandered over to a spot where they could grab their bags and go as soon as everything was up and running. As fate would have it, their baggage line was right next to the one that would eventually have the bags from the arriving Tampa, Florida flight. In an instant, the same instant, two pairs of eyes happened to look up, then lock.

"Dammitt," Heath murmured.

"What's wrong?" PJ asked.

Before his friend could answer, PJ himself looked up and saw exactly what Heath was groaning about.

"Oh," he swallowed hard.

Both Joey and Layla were just feet away in plain sight. It was an awkward moment, most especially for PJ and Layla, who just waved. Heath and Joey just stared. His face reddened as dark as his hair and his jaw visibly tightened. A look of pure sadness washed over Joey's face as time stood still and neither made an effort to walk over to the other one. The monotony of the moment was interrupted as the baggage claim finally began to work. People hummed about, looking for their items and within seconds, the two became lost in the crowd. PJ took one look at Heath and just shook his head. It was going to be a long few days at work.


	39. Decisions, Decisions

"Just one tonight, sir?"

Heath Miller looked around. After a grueling taping of an episode of Smackdown, the young Superstar was starving. It was the traditional ritual for the crew and talent to grab a bite to eat following the shows. Usually they traveled in packs, congregating with the usuals in their clique. Heath most often traveled with the guys from NXT Season 1 and then the Nexus. He remembered those first few months on the road when everything was so new and so carefree and fun. He had spent years working hard down in FCW and the men there were like brothers to him. When they made it to the big leagues together, it had been a dream come true. A few men had been lost along the way as Creative as made several changes to the Nexus angle. But through it all, PJ Lloyd and Stu Bennett had always been by his side. Now things were drastically different. David Otunga and Joe Henning were on the RAW brand. Windham Rotunda had been shipped back to FCW. PJ spent most of his off time with his girlfriend, Barb, and Stu had been both exorcised and isolated from the group that he had once ruled with an iron fist on and off the cameras. Joey El had come into their lives via a new storyline and many trials and tribulations later, Heath had found himself falling in love. The relationship was serious but it had been as short lived as it had been beautiful. Now Heath found himself all alone. There was no laughter, no joking around, no singing along loudly to random songs on local radio stations. There was just silence.

"Yes ma'am," he forced a sad smile. "Just one tonight, please."

It was a local Denny's, the first thing he saw out of the way from the city limits. It was far enough from the arena where he had a better chance of not being harassed by fans. He loved the WWE Universe but with everything going on, he wasn't much in the mood for picture taking and autograph signings. The travel week was done and Heath's bags were all packed up in the trunk of the rental car. He had decided to take a red eye instead of getting a hotel room for the night. He was tired but ready for the late night flight back to Florida. Heath slid into the booth and quickly glanced over the menu. He ordered a stack of wheat pancakes with bacon, sausage links, eggs, and toast along with a glass of milk. It was a hearty country boy breakfast, much like the ones he used to enjoy back in Pineville. He quietly played with a few apps on his iPhone as he waited for his meal to be prepared. A few minutes later, the friendly waitress brought everything out and Heath began to dig in. A few feet away, the double doors opened and in walked another familiar face. She was exhausted from the show and quite frankly tired of seeing her little sister in such a depressed rut. The younger girl hadn't felt much like eating after work so they had gone back to the hotel but both wo,men had gotten hungry right before bed. The older one had noticed a Denny's not too far away and had volunteered to get them some food. She placed a quick to go order at the counter and waited patiently before she saw the red head sitting alone at a table a few feet away.

"Fancy seeing you here."

Heath looked up. He was surprised to see Layla El. He took a napkin and wiped the corners of his mouth.

"Layla, what's up?"

His eyes quickly darted around to see if Joey was anywhere in the restaurant.

"You can relax. I'm just here to pick up a to go order. Joey is back in the room."

Heath breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's cool."

Layla nodded.

"Mind if I sit while I wait?"

"Free country," he motioned to the empty side of the booth across the table.

Layla took a seat.

"We need to talk."

"About what?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Don't play dumb with me. You know what this is all about. You and my sister and your stubbornness and the fact that you're both driving each other crazy and making me absolutely miserable in the process."

Heath sighed.

"Look, I know Joey is your sister and all and you guys are close but this really is none of your business."

"None of my business?" Layla raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? The fact that you broke my little sister's heart and I am left behind to pick up the pieces makes it my business, Heath."

Heath cringed at the graphic description.

"How, how is she?" he asked.

He was hurt and still very angry at Joey but he could not deny the fact that he cared deeply about her. The thought of her so upset really bothered him.

"Not good. Joey is really hurting right now. She cries a lot. She misses you. She wishes you would talk to her and the fact that you won't is really hurtful."

Heath tried to brush it off.

"Whatever. She did this to herself."

"Oh really?" Layla crossed her arms. "Is that right?"

"Yeah. But it is pointless for me to get into that with you. You barely know me. Of course you're going to take her side."

"It's not about taking sides."

Heath studied Layla's face. She didn't seem overly aggressive or like she had come for a full on attack. In fact, she looked tired and concerned.

"I'm sorry Joey is hurt, alright? I'm not some heartless guy. I care about your sister a lot. We had a good thing going on. I don't want to see her cry but yeah this is all her fault, I'm sorry. She is the one that tried to play me."

"How'd she try to play you, Heath?"

"Stu."

"You don't get it…"

"No, you don't. I knew in the beginning when we first started Nexus after NXT that Stu and Joey had something going on. I mean, they didn't exactly try to hide it, if you know what I mean. I thought it was wrong because he had just married Jackie but it was really none of my business so I just let it go. Then they got busted by Steph and just like everybody else, I assumed they had called it off. When I caught them that morning in bed in me and Stu's room, I was shocked. Then everything happened so fast and I got dragged into it and before I knew it, I was covering for them. The whole time, Stu was such an asshole to Joey and I never understood why she kept taking it, kept going back, kept believing his lies and putting up with his bullshit. I just didn't get it. Then she finally ended things with him once and for all and after that, things started happening for us. I didn't expect it but I saw Joey for the real person she is and that's the girl I fell for."

"Exactly. So what's the problem?"

"I really liked Joey and the more time we spent together, the better things got, it just felt right. I was happy but the whole time I was with her, I was scared."

"Scared?"

"Yeah and it's hard for me to admit that but it's the truth. I was scared because here I was falling hard for this girl and things were good but in the back of my mind, I kept telling myself to watch my back and my heart because it could all end in a split second."

"And why do you say that?"

Heath shrugged.

"Cause I saw the hold Stu had on Joey. It was like he could make her do anything, just smile at her or give her a kiss or whatever and make her melt and forget all the bad stuff he had ever done. I just didn't want to get into a serious relationship and put my heart into it, then have that guy come back and ruin it all. Layla, that's exactly what happened."

"No, it's not," Layla leaned back in frustration, running her hands through her hair.

"Yes, it is. He finally left his wife or so he says and the minute he does, Joey is sneaking backstage with him. I saw them, the way they were all leaned up on each other talking. Then they went backstage. It didn't look right. It didn't feel right so yeah I went with my gut and followed them. And that's when I heard her."

"What exactly did you hear, Heath?"

"I heard him say that he made a bunch of mistakes and that he wanted to make it up to her. Then he told her that he was in love with her. Without missing a beat, she told him that she loved him too and that she had been waiting for that moment, just waiting for him to come back and pour his heart out."

Heath's face reddened at the memory, his voice taking a harsh, disgusted tone.

"And then what? Then what did you hear?"

"I'd heard enough so I walked away. It made me sick. Then she lied about, looked right in my face and swore none of it happened. That's when I knew that this was not a girl I could be with. The new Joey, who I thought was the real Joey is sweet and honest and smart. The old Joey was flighty and selfish. But I guess the real Joey is nothing but a cheat and a liar."

Layla bit her lip.

"Yeah, I guess you would think that."

"What am I supposed to think?" Heath questioned. "I know she is your sister and all but she got caught red handed."

"It's not what you think," Layla stated simply. "God, Heath, you men can be so stupid sometimes. Why didn't you just stick around?"

Heath laughed sarcastically.

"What for? For the exciting conclusion? And what was that? Him screwing her right there in the Green Room?"

"No, you big dummy. For the very next part when Joey told Stu that as much as she loved him, as long as she had waited, that it wasn't enough."

Heath's eyes narrowed.

"What?"

"She told him that it was over between them and she did not want to be with him. Of course he reacted like a jerk because he is a jerk. He accused her for the umpteenth time of sleeping with you and she told him the truth, that she was with you and while she had never cheated on him with you, the fact that you guys were so close and how you took care of her was what made her fall in love with you."

Heath dropped his fork.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes! It is the truth. That is exactly what happened."

Heath was dumbfounded.

"Joey is in love with me? She said that?"

"She is and she did."

"Why didn't she tell me?"

"She has been trying to you but your stubbornness and stupid male pride and absolutely atrocious eavesdropping skills wouldn't allow you to listen."

"Oh my God…"

"You feel pretty stupid now, don't you?"

Heath swallowed hard.

"Ma'am…your order is ready," the waiter came over and let Layla know.

Layla nodded, stood and thanked him before turning her attention back to Heath who was still sitting in a state of shock.

"I, I had no idea. I didn't believe her. I got so mad, I was so hurt that I just lost it. I assumed that she had gone back to him. I didn't give Joey a chance. God, how could I have been so dumb? I have to see her…"

"Wait," Layla stopped him. "You two definitely need to talk but not tonight, not like this. A lot of feelings are involved, a lot is at stake. You need to make sure you can handle this. I don't want my sister getting more hurt than she already is. Just sleep on it a day or two and figure out what you want. If that's Joey, you owe her a huge apology and you're going to need to find a way to trust her and be more secure in your relationship."

With that, Layla turned and left, taking her carryout bags with her.

"Hey Layla?" Heath stopped her at the door.

"Yes?"

"Thanks."

Layla sighed.

"Don't thank me. I did this because I love my sister and I know you do, too. Second chances don't come around too often, Miller. Make it right," she advised.

Heath closed his eyes. He had been a fool but now he had the truth. It was a lot to take in and he knew he had some tough choices to make. It was going to be a long plane right back to Tampa.


	40. Happy Endings

It was another Town Hall meeting with all the WWE brass and bigwigs present. As each member of the roster made their way into the auditorium and took a seat, Heath Miller kept nervously glancing over his shoulder. Every time the door opened, he expected to see her but with each passing second, he was met with disappointment.

"Looking for Joey, huh?" PJ whispered to his friend.

Heath sadly nodded.

"Yeah."

"You still haven't talked to her?"

He sighed and ran his fingers through his ginger locks. He still hadn't talked to Joey. He had relayed the content of his surprise conversation with Layla to PJ. It had left him with a heavy heart, so much to think about. He had jumped to conclusions in what he thought was an obvious situation. But as it turned out, his girlfriend had been innocent after all. His biggest fear was that Stu would come back for her. That had come true but the story had a different ending than anticipated. Joey had stood her ground and she had made her choice. She had chosen Heath. But he had turned his back on her and automatically assumed the worst. He had hurt her terribly and now that he knew the truth, he still wasn't quite sure what to do with it.

"Nah."

"Heath, man…"

"I know, I know," Heath played with his hands. "It's just easier said than done. I was so busy placing blame on Joey that it turns out I'm the one that screwed up this time. What am I supposed to say to her?"

"You could start with an apology. Then you could explain what happened, why you did what you did. Then you could tell her that now you know what you should have known all along. End it by telling her that you love her and you're absolutely miserable without her. Do all that before begging her forgiveness."

Heath looked his friend in the eye.

"In other words, just tell her the truth, huh?"

PJ nodded.

"It's a start, dude. It's a start."

Heath looked away just as the double doors opened once more. First entered Layla El and lagging just a few feet behind was her little sister. Heath felt like his heart fell in the pit of his stomach. She looked as beautiful as ever but when their eyes met, he couldn't help but take note of the sadness etched across her pretty face. He felt horrible for it because he knew it was all his fault. Summoning his courage, he went to mouth that he wanted to talk to her later but before he could get all the words out, she had turned her head. He went to get her attention again but it was too late. The meeting was starting.

Vince McMahon and John Laurinatis took center stage. They greeted the talent and immediately began with a two page agenda detailing everything from company goals to recent merchandise sales figures to upcoming creative changes. Heath kept stealing glances of Joey who stared straight ahead. Shifting in his seat, he had to fight the urge to get up and just run over to her. Anxiously tapping his right foot, he waited for his bosses to finish up the program, a meeting that seemed to be taking longer than usual. Heath half paid attention until he happened to hear the name of The Corre being mentioned. He looked at PJ and frowned before noticing that both Stu and Joey, sitting on opposite ends of the room, were looking his way as well.

"…Effectively immediately, the plans have been put into place to make changes to The Corre on Smackdown. While the writers and Creative teams are extremely pleased with the progress of the group and particularly the fan interest, we will be announcing changes to make the dynamic even more spectacular and in the process ensure that all the involved members are given the opportunity for the push they so deserve. Keeping with the success of the Hardy Boyz and Lita angle from many years ago, we will be reducing the group to three members, being Heath Slater, Justin Gabriel and Johana. Our team has every confidence that Wade Barrett will excel in Single's competition. With that said, Mr. Bennett, Mr. Miller, Mr. Lloyd, and Miss El, please stay behind after we are adjourned for an additional briefing from Stephanie."

Heath felt instant relief. It was the culmination of months of planning. It was what he, PJ, and Joey had wanted from the beginning. The Corre had always been their baby, a product of their brainchild, the chance for the three real life friends to showcase their talent in the ring and change the face of Smackdown, the WWE and professional wrestling in itself. Stu had been a dark cloud, a cancer threatening to eat away at their professional success as well as the future of Heath and Joey's romance. Ousting him had been easier than any of them had originally thought. When it came down to it, it was all about chemistry and the Corporate offices had been able to quickly see what worked and what didn't. It should have been a moment of pure relief and utter joy but the happiness was hampered by the fact that Heath was still a part from the one person he wanted in his life more than anyone.

A half hour later, the meeting was finally over. As usual, a few people lingered around, mingling and making effortless small talk. Heath jumped at the opportunity to have a moment alone with Joey before the second meeting with Stephanie McMahon Levesque. He headed over to her seat and as soon as Layla saw him coming, she quietly acknowledged him with her eyes before standing and making a subtle exit. Joey looked up and swallowed hard, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Hey," he said nervously.

God, he just wanted to wrap his arms around her in that moment.

"Hi," she looked away.

Heath cleared his throat.

"Can we talk?" he asked.

Before she could answer, they were summoned again. With hands in their pockets, they trudged to the front of the room where John, Vince, and Stephanie were waiting. PJ and Stu joined them as some of the other executives as well as Superstars remained around.

"Thank you all for joining us," Stephanie began. "I promise to make this as brief as possible so let's get right to the point. As my father said, the WWE as a whole has been extremely pleased with the Corre as a creative idea, as a group and as a marketing commodity. However, we feel that it would be a better idea for the group to work as a trio in lieu of a quartet. Stu, we have a lot of exciting things in store for your future as a Single's competitor that we are all extremely looking forward to. The plan is to market The Corre as a face group…"

All listened intently as Stu wrinkled his brow as he glanced down at his pocket. He looked at his cell phone.

"Mr. Bennett is everything okay?" Vince asked, tersely raising an eyebrow. "I hope we are not boring you."

Stu's face turned bright red.

"Not at all sir," he replied. "My apologies for the distraction."

He quickly put the phone away as the meeting continued. A plan was carefully laid out to have Wade Barrett's bullying and controlling ways prove to be too much for the other members. In recent weeks his character would go on to take full credit for the group's creation and success, thus alienating the other members. It would eventually lead to his exile.

"Any questions, comments or concerns?" John Laurinaitis asked one last time before they adjourned.

The group quietly murmured a no in unison. But there was one person who wasn't willing to keep so quiet.

"I have a comment. And a few concerns," a female voice said rather loudly.

All eyes fell to the person who had just entered the auditorium and was making her way down the aisle to the group that had just finished meeting.

"Well, well, well," Stephanie made a face and crossed her arms suspiciously.

The intrusion was quite a shock as the face was quite familiar. It was Jackie Bennett, the estranged wife of Wade Barrett.

"Jacqueline, what are you doing here?" an irritated Stu turned to her. "What do you want?"

"You know damned well what I want," she shot back at her husband. "For the past year you have done nothing but humiliate me, now here is the chance for the shoe to be on the other foot."

"Leave, now!" he whispered between pursed lips, grabbing her arm.

She pulled away.

"Get your hands off of me! It is time for everyone here to know the truth."

"And what truth might that be?" Stephanie inquired.

"The one that you all have been blind to. Last year, Mrs. Levesque, you ordered my husband to end his seedy little affair with this no good tramp over here," she glared at Joey.

"This might be a discussion worth having in a more, shall we say, private setting, Mrs. Bennett."

"Why? My husband and his harlot love carrying on in such a public fashion, might I continue the tradition?"

"Mr. Bennett and Miss El were given strict and explicit instructions regarding the nature of their relationship as well as contact. Those orders were followed."

"Were they?" Jackie demanded.

"Yes. We…"

"So I see they pulled the wool over your eyes, too. I was so in love, so desperate to save face and save my marriage that I was willing to do anything to get Stu to come back, to end his affair. Nothing worked. I was at my wits end so I thought the WWE would intervene, for the sake of its PG image. I gave several anonymous tips about these two, all to no avail."

Stephanie stepped in.

"Mrs. Bennett, I understand your concerns and frustration. Our company did what we could to preserve our image. What happened between your husband and Miss El last year is a personal matter but I assure you we made certain that everything was taken care of."

Jackie laughed sarcastically.

"Taken care of? Is that what you call it? You mean by initiating a cover up so your top Diva could have a decoy for a boyfriend all the while so she could continue her home wrecking ways?"

"Excuse me?"

"It was all a lie. Johana El and Heath Miller never had a relationship. He is not her boyfriend. It was a ruse, a hoax and they fooled all of you. She and Stu never ended things. Heath agreed to cover for them in order to protect their jobs."

Stephanie, John, and Vince all exchanged uneasy glances as several curious onlookers had begun to take notice. Stephanie felt her blood begin to boil. It had been her vote to terminate Stu and Joey from the beginning. She had suspected something fishy all along and now a scorned wife was putting together the pieces of the puzzle. Things were starting to make sense and she did not like it.

Joey swallowed hard. This was it. The lies had all caught up to her. They were busted. Her mistakes had come full circle. She had lost so much, now she was about to receive the final nail in her coffin. She had lost the man she loved, Heath Miller. Now her fate was in his hands. Going along with the faux romance story had been against Heath's principles the entire time. He had fought it viciously but had been forced into their web of lives against his will. Now after Joey breaking his heart, it was his chance to come clean and get everything off his chest. Maybe he still had a chance to save his future with the company.

"What do you have to say for yourselves? Is any of this true? Mr. Miller?" Vince asked.

Heath looked at Stu, then right at Joey. With a confident grin, he walked right over to her.

"Are you kidding me? Does this look like a hoax? I don't know what's going on with them but this here is one hundred percent real, right babe?" he said as he placed a kiss on Joey's lips.

The kiss was for more than show, more than to prove a point or save someone's ass. It was about what he was really feeling. As he pulled Joey close and held her tight and kissed her passionately and deeply, that moment was about so much more. Joey melted in his arms. She knew Heath, she had come to know his heart well. And she knew it was all for real. Seconds later, they pulled away breathless, staring in each other's eyes as they were oblivious to everyone else in the room, in the world for that matter.

"This is disgusting! Disgusting and absolutely ridiculous," Jackie spat. "Stu, you will be hearing from my attorney."

With that, she stormed off. Stephanie had her suspicions but what she didn't have was concrete proof. Whatever had happened, Heath and Joey had each other's backs and would until the end.

"That was…interesting," John straightened his jacket. "The meeting is adjourned and we will reconvene in a few weeks as things develop. In the meantime, Stu, let's you and I have a chat, son. We need to set some ground rules about keeping personal and professional business separate."

Stu shoved his hands in his pockets and hung his head.

"Yes sir."

He followed John out as Vince and Stephanie left as well. A smiling PJ walked away to give his friends their privacy.

"That was close," Joey breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought…"

"It's not about that," Heath cut her off.

"Heath…"

"I messed up. I was scared and insecure and then when I saw you and Stu together, I just freaked out. I followed you and I eavesdropped and I guess my fool self missed the most important part of the conversation. I jumped to conclusions, Joey and I have no excuse. I was wrong and I treated you badly and I hurt you. For that I am sorry, so sorry. Layla told me everything. You and me had a good thing going and you made me happy. You make me happy. I know I have no right to ask you anything but I want to ask for a second chance. You mean the world to me and I want to try again. I…"

She silenced him with another soulful kiss.

"I love you," she grinned.

"What?"

"I said I love you. I am in love with you. Look, Heath, we both made a lot of mistakes. I accept your apology. We both did things to make us not trust the other. But you're right. In the end, we had a good thing. And I miss that. I miss you. Everything is going to be okay now. Stu and I are done and now the Corre is just you, PJ, and me. We have the chance to do great things. And I hope…I hope you and I can do great things too…together."

He smiled and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered, cupping her face. "I love you, too, Joey.

From the back of the auditorium, Layla El stood next to PJ Lloyd.

"I think that's a good sign," she smiled.

"It's a great one," PJ agreed.

"Those two had me scared for a while but um, I think…now I think they're going to be okay."

"Of course they are. They're meant to be."

PJ looked on as Joey and Heath held hands and just stared lovingly at each other. Finally their relationship had come full circle. And finally they were all free. It was time for a new beginning. They had truly made it.

_**The End**_

_**Author's Note: Thanks to everyone for the reviews. I appreciate you all but major props to my girl, Jamie, my girl, Christina and of course Vital Info for your consistent support. I enjoyed this one a lot and of course the biggest thanks to Heath Slater, one of my favorite Superstars. I am glad you all enjoyed this. This was a work of original fiction, though I only own the OC Joey. Other characters belong to WWE. Again, thank you and pleased stay tuned to my other work.**_

_**Mal**_


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